Honolulu Lite
SOMETHING has got to be done about gun crimes in this country and it looks like it will take the efforts of mad mothers. Time for moms to
get mad at gunsMad mothers are a potent political force, even more potent than soccer moms. Soccer moms were responsible, they say, for electing Bill Clinton. MADD mothers (Mothers Against Drunk Drivers) have been responsible for the plunge in drinking-related auto deaths. You decide which effort was better for society.
The thing about mothers is that they are relatively peaceful as long as they are not riled. But get 'em mad and watch out.
And that's exactly what happened because of all the senseless deaths of people (i.e. offspring of mothers) at the hands of drunken drivers.
The relentless campaign of mad mothers to decrease DUI-related deaths has been a success because of their ability to organize, lobby, audit the justice system and most of all, stay mad. But it also has been a success because it concentrated on the cause of DUI deaths, which is drinking drivers, not the availability of cars.
The mothers, though mad, were rational. They realized that cars don't kill people, drinking drivers kill people. And so they did not demand that all cars be banned. Or certain high-octane road warrior cars be banned. Or that cars that look faster than other cars, even though they have the same size engine, be banned.
What they did was focus on the punishment of people caught DUI. They ratcheted up the court system and state legislatures to such a high level of awareness that DUI laws on the books were strictly enforced, new laws were passed and old laws were strengthened.
They monitored the system, watching judges, lobbying police chiefs and keeping up an information campaign that is the envy of any politician.
Now it is time for mothers to get mad about gun crimes in this country. MADD needs to branch out and form a couple of new organizations. How about MAIGOWDLUTW (Mothers Against Idiot Gun Owners Who Don't Lock Up Their Weapons), MAPWLTGFITKH (Mothers Against Parents Who Let Their Guns Fall Into Their Kids' Hands), MAGSOWSGTMAC (Mothers Against Gun Shop Owners Who Sell Guns To Minors and Criminals) and MACCWUGIC (Mothers Against Convicted Criminals Who Use Guns In Crimes)?
Imagine if the full force of the country's mad mothers descended on the targets of these groups. Imagine if the mad mothers made sure that judges handed out the absolute harshest sentences against parents who let their kids have access to their guns, shop owners who sell guns to kids or criminals, and criminals who use guns in the commission of their crimes.
What if mad mothers covered the court system like a blanket when any gun-related crime was at issue and forced legislators to pass laws that would make the cost of using a gun in a crime so prohibitive that Nerf bats would become the robbery tool of choice?
Well, you know it would work. But that takes a lot of work. Right now, there's no one expressing outrage at local judges who impose slap-on-the-wrist sentences to violent criminals who use guns.
We live in a state where murderers sentenced to life in prison WITHOUT the possibility of parole are pardoned and predators routinely are arrested 30 or 40 times before they finally get maximum punishment. It's enough to make a mother mad.
Charles Memminger, winner of
National Society of Newspaper Columnists
awards in 1994 and 1992, writes "Honolulu Lite"
Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
Write to him at the Honolulu Star-Bulletin,
P.O. Box 3080, Honolulu, 96802
or send E-mail to charley@nomayo.com or
71224.113@compuserve.com.
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