Alphecca

Another WaPo Columnist...

I'm sure you'll be astounded to learn that another Washington Post columnist, Marc Fisher, wants more gun control. Do it for the kids of course. I don't have time to dissect it all but here's a sample:

About one in three Americans owns a firearm of some sort; take hunters out of the equation and the number of owners plummets. Only about 15 percent of Americans own handguns, according to a Justice Department-sponsored study.

The rest of us are condemned at the least to listen to the eternal, sanctimonious debate over what to do about guns. Too often, in too many places, guns force us to alter how we construct our lives: where we will walk, where we will live, where we allow our children to go.

Only about 15%. Only! On my calculater that works out to only 44 million Americans owning handguns. Rather astounding then that when we read of a kid getting their parent's handgun (and the liberal media certainly makes sure that we do read about it) it's rather rare that the kid actually uses it. In fact, if you subtract the stories about gang members (who steal guns or trade drugs for their guns) the actual tragedies committed by kids with guns is microscopic, statisticly. About 236 unintentional (accidental) deaths. Intentional killings with guns by children is also incredibly rare once you subtract -- again -- youth gang members.

I'd say then that the very vast majority of handgun owners do store their guns responsibly, teach their children to leave them alone, etc.

Marc Fisher concludes:

...But where we cannot rely on personal bonds, we turn to the law for protection. And in matters of life and death, we use the law to impose stricter standards than when the stakes are lower. The rules for driving a car are stricter than those governing bicycles. So why would legitimate gun owners object to being held to basic standards, just as drivers must demonstrate proficiency and maintain a decent record?

But gun owners are! Most states that issue permits or licenses for firearms require training and background checks. And if gun owners fail to "maintain a decent record" (i.e. commit a crime, etc.) then their license or permit is revoked and state and federal laws prevent them from [hand]gun ownership. That, besides the point that gun ownership is a Right, while driving a car is a priviledge.

Forty-four million legal handgun owners, 80 million legal gun owners overall. I'd say law-abiding gun owners are pretty damn responsible! Now about the criminal and gang member gun owners... Worry about them!

Posted by Jeff Soyer at January 27, 2006 07:38 AM