Voice in the Crowd, 545 words

Too Late for Strict Gun Laws
By Pete Chaney
IPS Features

The late cartoonist J.R. Willett had a strip called "There oughta be a law." Most people think that way. Any time there's a problem--pass a law. If it were only that easy.

Locks and laws are for honest people. The burglar cares nothing for the lock or the law. The bank robber doesn't worry about the law. The murderer isn't planning on getting caught.

Just as we think accidents happen to the other fellow, lawbreakers believe someone else gets caught and punished. Not them.

If passing a law solved everything, there would be legislation forbidding against prejudice, overeating and every little foible we humans are heir to. A fellow named Moses came down from the mountain with ten pretty good rules, which have been broken more often than obeyed.

There is a clamor to pass strict gun laws, in the belief that will stop violent crime and senseless murder. Even if it had merit, that would be like closing the proverbial barn door after the horses had escaped.

Americans have a love affair with guns and violence. We remember Jesse James better than Bob Ford whom shot him. Billy the Kid's exploits are more famous than Pat Garrett who brought him down. We love the gangster shows with big guns and violence. Would a law change our nature?

There used to be illegal to own an automatic weapon. Conversions had to be made to any weapon that fired automatically. Only collectors were allowed to own the famous-infamous old "tommy gun." Of course, the crooks owned them, but they weren't honest people obeying the law.

Background checks may slow down someone planning violence, but won't stop it.

There are already laws against anyone who has a felony conviction--be it from homicide to bank robbery to writing a bad check--from having possession of a firearm. Someone convicted of shoplifting may be forbidden from owning a shotgun for hunting.

How about the children who aren't even old enough to get a parking ticket but can find a gun to take to school and murder classmates and teachers. There are laws against murder. Background checks won't help there.

If someone with a felony record wants a gun, he can always find someone who is clean to buy it. And there are plenty illegal weapons available on the street--for a price.

As a show of futile helplessness, the government buys up guns from even law-abiding citizens. Gun makers love it. They just work overtime. As long as there's a demand, there will be a supply.

The second amendment t is quoted as an American's guarantee he can own a gun. The fear of foreign invasion against an unarmed public is also repeated often. It's understandable how a person could want to collect guns or to have one for personal protection. It is a bit strained to consider why he would want a weapon that would tear up a grizzly bear in the backyard of suburbia. Is a bazooka needed to swat a mosquito?

Too late for stricter gun laws. The answer lies in education and training. When, where and if a weapon is needed.

More importantly, teach people morality. Maybe go back to those ten rules the man brought down from the mountain.

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