…who think stricter gun control laws mean less gun violence.
In Chicago, over the July 4th weekend so far (there were still about 8 hours to go when this was last updated), 8 people have been shot to death and 41 have been wounded.
Chicago has among the strictest – if not the single strictest – gun control laws of any major city in the United States.
My quick question: how many of these killings and woundings do you figure were committed by people who legally own guns?
If the answer is few, probably none (and I\’d bet body parts you\’d be right), then my follow-up question is: how can gun control laws prevent killings and woundings committed by people who do not obey gun control laws?
If the answer is that, inherently, they cannot, we are in agreement again.
Personally, I believe in strict gun control laws. I believe all handguns should be registered, I believe in significant, stringent background checks before someone can legally own a gun, I believe this precludes gun sales on-line and at gun shows, and I believe that, like guns, all ammunition should be ID-tagged so it can be traced.
I believe these things because it is imperative to me that gun ownership should only be allowed for people who we can reasonably assume will use those guns legally and responsibly.
But, at the same time, I know that these laws are absolutely meaningless to people who do not obey laws; who obtain and use guns illegally.
That is why I also believe in mandatory sentencing (at least one year) for anyone in possession of an illegal gun, and stricter mandatory sentencing (at least 3 years, maybe more) for anyone possessing a gun when committing a crime – regardless of whether the gun is actually used in that crime.
Realistically, nothing will eliminate the illegal use of guns. But it seems to me you can minimize their use by making it worth an illegal gun owner\’s while not to carry that gun around. If you don\’t have it on your person, you can\’t use it, can you?
It is long past time to get real about gun violence in this country.
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UPDATE: The final tally for July 4th weekend in Chicago was 9 dead and 47 injured.
