In recent days, a lot of attention has been brought to the public involving shootings, including the little 6 yo girl. I wrote a letter to the papers, is it too cold feeling?
Whatcha think? (REVISED)
As we know, owning a firearm these days is not in fashion. In fact, it is seen as a crime against humanity by some. We stand dumbfounded as a 6 year old child dies at the hands of another using a firearm. If you are a caring parent, these tragedies must strike close to home.
I liken these shootings to airplane crashes. They are top stories in the media. Yes, it is a horrible thing, and one innocent victim is too many. Anyone with a shred of compassion will agree. But, they happen more rarely than automobile accidents. Most gun owners have never allowed their kids unsupervised access to guns. More laws are not the answer. Responsibility is the key. The person or persons who allowed that child access to a gun should be the ones held responsible.
The anti gun folks want the public to see the terrible carnage brought forth by the evil gun. They don’t want you to see the times a firearm is used to thwart an attack by some thug on an innocent citizen while away or in the home. They don’t want you to see the number of firearms legally and humanely used by hunters, or used safely in competitive shooting events. According to them, there are hundreds of thousands of guns in the U.S. and they are all bad. They want you to believe that guns are the cause of crime, and if you have a gun, you intend to do harm to someone or something or will soon injure someone in your household. If this is so, why don’t I hear gunfire in my neighborhood right now?
It has been my experience that safe, responsible gun owners, be they hunters, target shooters, or the citizen with a permit to carry are the rule rather than the exception . We live here, in small town U.S.A. where deer season is cause to take off work, and farmers use guns frequently for predator control. Around here, lots of kids grew up shooting cans off fence posts. Many people legally carry firearms on a daily basis for personal protection. We are men and women, doctors and lawyers , blue and white collar workers from every background, and ethnic group. Are we all wrong?
Let’s face the facts. Jim Didier and Prince Chapman, two beloved and respected citizens, died at the hands of the very type of criminal we need to protect ourselves and our families from. Is our desire to do so with firearms that unreasonable?
An innocent child has died due to irresponsibility by an adult, but let’s keep perspective regarding the gun control issue. More gun laws would not have helped here. Common sense cannot be legislated.
Footnote:
Jim Didier was a local man who was killed in an attempted robbery at his meat shop. Wonderful man, by all accounts, and gave much to the less fortunate in the community. The outpouring of sympathy was astonishing.
Prince Chapman was gunned down on a sidewalk near his home if I remember right by the same folks he tried to help. The suspect was a very young man who shot him in a gang initiation ritual. Mr Chapman spent a great deal of time trying to help youngsters find their way in life.
Note from Tatters: I changed this around a little,and shortened it up a bit. Check it out now, ok?
[This message has been edited by tatters (edited March 04, 2000).]
[This message has been edited by tatters (edited March 06, 2000).]
[This message has been edited by tatters (edited March 06, 2000).]
Whatcha think? (REVISED)
As we know, owning a firearm these days is not in fashion. In fact, it is seen as a crime against humanity by some. We stand dumbfounded as a 6 year old child dies at the hands of another using a firearm. If you are a caring parent, these tragedies must strike close to home.
I liken these shootings to airplane crashes. They are top stories in the media. Yes, it is a horrible thing, and one innocent victim is too many. Anyone with a shred of compassion will agree. But, they happen more rarely than automobile accidents. Most gun owners have never allowed their kids unsupervised access to guns. More laws are not the answer. Responsibility is the key. The person or persons who allowed that child access to a gun should be the ones held responsible.
The anti gun folks want the public to see the terrible carnage brought forth by the evil gun. They don’t want you to see the times a firearm is used to thwart an attack by some thug on an innocent citizen while away or in the home. They don’t want you to see the number of firearms legally and humanely used by hunters, or used safely in competitive shooting events. According to them, there are hundreds of thousands of guns in the U.S. and they are all bad. They want you to believe that guns are the cause of crime, and if you have a gun, you intend to do harm to someone or something or will soon injure someone in your household. If this is so, why don’t I hear gunfire in my neighborhood right now?
It has been my experience that safe, responsible gun owners, be they hunters, target shooters, or the citizen with a permit to carry are the rule rather than the exception . We live here, in small town U.S.A. where deer season is cause to take off work, and farmers use guns frequently for predator control. Around here, lots of kids grew up shooting cans off fence posts. Many people legally carry firearms on a daily basis for personal protection. We are men and women, doctors and lawyers , blue and white collar workers from every background, and ethnic group. Are we all wrong?
Let’s face the facts. Jim Didier and Prince Chapman, two beloved and respected citizens, died at the hands of the very type of criminal we need to protect ourselves and our families from. Is our desire to do so with firearms that unreasonable?
An innocent child has died due to irresponsibility by an adult, but let’s keep perspective regarding the gun control issue. More gun laws would not have helped here. Common sense cannot be legislated.
Footnote:
Jim Didier was a local man who was killed in an attempted robbery at his meat shop. Wonderful man, by all accounts, and gave much to the less fortunate in the community. The outpouring of sympathy was astonishing.
Prince Chapman was gunned down on a sidewalk near his home if I remember right by the same folks he tried to help. The suspect was a very young man who shot him in a gang initiation ritual. Mr Chapman spent a great deal of time trying to help youngsters find their way in life.
Note from Tatters: I changed this around a little,and shortened it up a bit. Check it out now, ok?
[This message has been edited by tatters (edited March 04, 2000).]
[This message has been edited by tatters (edited March 06, 2000).]
[This message has been edited by tatters (edited March 06, 2000).]
