Greg Freeman: There's No Easy Fix To The Problem Of Gun Violence In America. P-D 8/15/1999

Headline: THERE'S NO EASY FIX TO THE PROBLEM OF GUN VIOLENCE IN AMERICA
Reporter: By Greg Freeman

Publication: ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
Last Printed: Sun., Aug. 15, 1999
Section: METRO, Page: C3, Edition: FIVE STAR LIFT

Shootings in Los Angeles
   Last week's terrible shooting at a Jewish community center in California is yet another reminder of the problem of violence in our society.
   All violence is senseless, of course. But crimes such as that one -where a loony gunman with an Uzi walked into a center and wounded five people, then later used a Glock 9-millimeter semiautomatic to shoot and kill a postman he thought was Asian or Hispanic - get everyone to speculate, each seeing the incident as one that supports his or her belief about guns.
   For those who favor tougher gun laws, the case shows why they're needed. If there had only been more laws on the books, they argue, it would have been much less likely that someone with psychiatric problems such as Buford O. Furrow Jr. would have been able to get a gun.
   For those who want to see fewer gun laws, the case proves their point too. Those at the community center, along with the postman who was shot later, were all unarmed, they argue. Had the victims been armed, the argument goes, they would have been able to protect themselves and the children.

Of course, there are flaws with both positions. There's no guarantee that tougher gun laws would have prevented last week's tragedy. Truth be told, those who want guns in this country can get them, even if their tactics are under the table. Would tighter gun laws have kept guns away from Furrow? Not likely. In fact, Furrow was barred from buying guns because of a criminal record, yet he had an arsenal of weapons. For three years he had been a federally licensed firearms dealer.
But the argument that those at the day care center should have been armed is faulty too. You certainly wouldn't arm children - as some have suggested - and keeping guns around isn't considered the safest thing to do where there are small children.

Would our country be better off without guns? Probably. Will we ever reach a point where people in our society no longer have them? Not likely. While tough gun laws make sense, it's also a fact that guns are already in the hands of many of the bad guys, and it will be difficult to yank those guns away.

At the same time, the paranoia that's pushed by organizations such as the National Rifle Association only helps gun manufacturers by frightening people into purchasing more guns. While a gun can be beneficial in protecting a person if that person knows that a danger is coming, the truth is that most gun crimes aren't anticipated.
Unlike old TV westerns, where cowboys were always quick with the draw, most people don't behave that way. Criminals commit robberies and gun-related crimes with the element of surprise. That's what gives them the advantage. If someone has a gun pointed at your head, you don't stand much of a chance reaching for a gun in your pocket or purse.

In a sense, part of the problem we face is the independent American spirit.
   In Scotland, after a gunman shot up a kindergarten in the city of Dunblane, the government passed a ban on the ownership of high-caliber handguns, a ban on owning ammunition other than hunting bullets and a ban of getting a gun license without references.
   And when the British public felt that didn't go far enough, the government banned all handguns, and the public had to turn them in.
   But the American spirit of independence - combined with the NRA lining the pockets of politicians - guarantees that that's not likely to happen here in the near future.

The fact is, neither side's solutions would have prevented last week's tragedy.
And that is something that should give us all concern. While law enforcement can find and arrest crazies such as Furrow after they've committed their heinous acts, it's difficult to do anything beforehand.
No one has yet come up with any credible ideas to get guns out of the hands of the bad guys. And unless someone can come up with something workable - something that will remove guns from folks likely to commit crimes - we're going to wring our hands every time a horrible event like this comes along.

Daniel Schesch - Webweaver

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