Is More Gun Control The Answer?

Since the tragic shootings of 19 people in Tucson, Arizona, on Saturday, there is a lot of debate over gun control and whether or not we need more gun control legislation. Gun control advocates want even more scrutiny of people who are attempting to purchase guns. Those who want legal guns outlawed for all United States citizens are even more adamant and are using this incident to push their agenda, even though evidence shows outlawing guns leads to increased crime. Representative Peter King is introducing legislation to make it illegal for anyone to be in possession of a gun within 1000 feet of a public figure. These are all visceral responses based on the emotion generated by the horror of the shooting and are completely understandable. But are they right?

Jared Loughner had no criminal record nor did he have any documented mental health issues, with “documented” being the key word. He has been arrested several times in his young life but each and every charge against him was dropped for various reasons. Even though he had these interactions with law enforcement and the justice system his record was clean. Many people who know him think Loughner has mental health issues and some said he seemed a little crazy. Yet he had never been examined for these issues and without documentation, legally these are simply lay opinions that mean nothing. Without a criminal record and/or documented mental health issues there was no reason whatsoever that he could legally be prevented from buying a gun.

We can place blame for these circumstances I suppose but do we want these things to change? If someone is arrested and completes a diversion program their record is wiped clean. Do we want to change that? Do we want to expunge charges only from those we deem worthy or mentally stable but not for everyone who meets the legal requirements?

Along the same line, do we want to create mental health documentation on everyone who is deemed by someone else to act crazy? How many people in the country would be referred to a mental health professional if it was that simple? You could report someone for mental health issues because they make you angry one day, just to complicate their life. I’d like to believe that wouldn’t happen but we all know if getting someone caught up in the mental health evaluation process is made as simple as an opinion something like that will happen.

We’re now up to the proposed law to outlaw gun possession within 1000 feet of a public figure. If this becomes a law guns will be banned in large areas of Washington DC. No one will be able to walk on the Capital Mall carrying a legal gun because at any time they may be within 1000 feet of a public official. No one would be able to carry a gun anywhere around a state or county capital building for the same reason. And just how does the Congressman plan to enforce this law - more searches of the general public? Maybe the government could assign the TSA to do this since they’re already getting up close and personal in their searches. It was suggested that police in areas around a politician’s public appearance set up a perimeter and question people entering the area. Do we have that many police available? And more important – do they really believe someone who is illegally carrying a weapon is going to admit it to the police?

Let’s face it – for the most part people who are legally licensed to carry a weapon in public are not the ones we have to worry about. And those who illegally carry firearms are not going to change their ways because of new legislation. The proposed law will be a showpiece and nothing more. I’m actually surprised it’s being introduced by a Republican. And that’s not a partisan attack but merely a reference to the statistics that show Democrats favor increased gun control much more than Republicans.

I’m not opposed to our elected officials having increased security if they believe it’s necessary. But let’s be reasonable about it and take effective measures that will help rather than grandstanding steps that will really do nothing more than look good. Gun control has many merits in this country however, let’s not get carried away and make it just one more example of government control going overboard.