To Our Readers
MASS murder focuses people's attention, but has the shooting of seven Xerox employees, apparently by a coworker, taught us anything? Where do we go
from here?
A mini-flood of letters arrived here supporting additional restrictions on gun purchases. Like hate crime statutes, we doubt these are really necessary. There are plenty of laws already on the books limiting firearm sales. Strictly enforcing waiting periods and background checks should do the job.
Still, when an airplane crashes, we seek the cause and make adjustments to keep the same thing from happening again. Denver moved its airport, in part to avoid a wind-shear problem that led to several crashes at Stapleton International. The TWA flight 800 tragedy is likely to result in new types of fuel tanks to remove the threat of vapor explosions. Live and learn.
So, shouldn't there be a way to keep introverted gun collectors with anger management problems from owning personal arsenals?
Although automobiles are potentially lethal, like guns they don't kill innocent people when used as they are designed. We inspect cars once a year and require drivers to regularly renew their licenses. Should we consider doing the same for guns?
Vice President Al Gore said last summer, "We require a license to drive a car in this nation in order to keep unsafe drivers off the road...We should require a license to own a handgun so people who shouldn't have them can't get them." Or keep them, I'd add.
Taking guns away from people convicted of crimes of rage -- assault, domestic violence, child abuse, even disorderly conduct -- ought to be easy. How to get weapons out of the hands of ordinarily law-abiding introverts destined to become impulse killers is a thornier problem.
Courts have found ways to assign or remove custody of children. Could they do the same for Glocks and Rugers? Could families, employers or neighbors bring a complaint to yank the registrations and firearms of a would-be John Hinkley, Charles Whitman or James Huberty? I give up. Don't shoot.
John Flanagan is editor and publisher of the Star-Bulletin.
To reach him call 525-8612, fax to 523-8509, send
e-mail to publisher@starbulletin.com or write to
P.O. Box 3080, Honolulu, Hawaii 96802.