Here's an article I just ran across. It contains a core truth with which we are all familiar. However, it is always good to see them vocalized by those with academic "pedigrees". If they won't listen to us gun-toting extremists, maybe a Yale Professor will do the trick for a few.
Yale Professor Says Gun Lawsuit May Have Harmful Effects
By Jim Burns
CNS Senior Staff Writer
13 December, 1999
(CNSNews.com) - A criminal justice expert and author of the best selling book More Guns, Less Crimes argues that a possible lawsuit by public housing authorities against gun manufacturers may do more harm than good.
Dr. John Lott told CNSNews.com, "I think these suits are going to result in more deaths rather than fewer deaths. . . . It's an abuse of the legal system."
President Clinton, during a White House news conference last Wednesday, said the public housing authority litigation against gunmakers has a good grounding in fact.
"There are 10,000 gun crimes every year in the largest public housing authorities.
They spend a billion dollars on security and I think it's important that the American people know that they (public housing authorities) are not asking for money from the gun manufacturers, they are seeking a remedy to try to help solve the problem," Clinton said.
But, Lott believes such lawsuits are going to worsen the crime situation in America's public housing projects.
"Poor people who live in high crime urban areas like these public housing units benefit the most from having the option to be able to protect themselves. . . . Raising the price of guns through these suits is merely going to be price those people out of the market for being able to defend themselves," said Lott.
"The question I have for him (Clinton) is what advice does he give to someone who's living in one of these poor, high crime areas. What are they supposed to do when they are confronted by a criminal and there's no police around?" Lott said.
Clinton also said irresponsible marketing practices by gunmakers should be stopped as well.
"One company advertised an assault weapon by saying that it was hard to get fingerprints from. You don't have to be all broke out with brilliance to figure out what the message is there." Clinton did not say what company was using selling assault weapons using such a sales pitch.
Lott called Clinton's comment a "complete distortion."
"They say that fingerprint oil is easily removed from the gun . . . otherwise the metal on the gun can rust, " Lott said.
Another thing public housing authorities are looking for in the suit, according to Clinton, is "some safety design changes. We have a lot of gun manufacturers in this country who have been, I think, immensely responsible. If you remember a majority of gun manufacturers signed on to our proposal for child trigger locks. I still would like legislation to cover them all."
More legislation, according to Lott, would be counterproductive.
"This constant haranguing on deaths involving children greatly exaggerates in people minds what the true risks are. In 1996, for children under the age of 10, there were 8 accidental handgun deaths in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). There were 21 for children under the age of 15. If you compare it to the number of guns that are owned in America compared to other risks that are in the home, guns are extremely safe, as far as having to worry about actual gun deaths," Lott told CNSNews.com.
Lott thinks there are "more children under age 5 who die from drowning in waterbuckets than you have children under the age of 15 who die from accidental handgun shots. You have 40 children a year who die from drowning in 5 gallon waterbuckets under age 5. You have 80 children a year under age 5 who drown in bathtubs around the home."
[This message has been edited by Oscar (edited December 13, 1999).]