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HONOKAA -- The Big Island's citizen-hero, Samson Wana, was able to detain Park Ranger Steve Makuakane-Jarrell's alleged killer and stop an attack by the suspect's dog because he had a knife. A case for
carrying handgunsWana was flagged down by the wanted man but recognized him. The man became suspicious and Wana very fortunately had a knife to protect himself from both the man and his dog. He also used his knife to try to block the suspect from escaping. His actions not only may have saved his own life, but may have saved the lives of others as well. He courageously brought an end to a huge manhunt.
Ask yourself, though, what might have happened if Wana had not had his knife.
I don't think it wrong to imagine that, had an armed citizen been nearby, perhaps Ranger Makuakane-Jarrell would still be alive. But in Hawaii, we do not allow law-abiding citizens -- those willing to take prescribed training and stand police and FBI background-check scrutiny -- to carry a concealed firearm, no matter what the circumstances.
Hawaii has a law to allow for what is widely known on the mainland as "concealed carry" or "right to carry," but our police department simply never allows such permits to be issued. Never mind if you are a terribly abused female whose life has been repeatedly threatened and you already have shown the restraining orders to be ineffective. Never mind if you are a merchant or jewelry supplier who must carry cash or very valuable items, especially at night, and never mind if you have already been robbed or assaulted -- even repeatedly.
Our nation's courts have ruled that the police do not have an individual responsibility to protect you and me, only a general and collective responsibility. Many times, as in Wana's case, we are simply on our own.
On the mainland, 31 states -- many following Florida's lead of only a few years ago -- now allow "concealed carry." Thus, there is a quiet police force of tens of thousands of honest U.S. citizens going about their daily business -- and the criminals never know just who may be carrying a gun.
Despite the dire warnings of blood baths in the streets from anti-gun advocates, some of you may already know what happened. These armed citizens have been absolutely exemplary, with an extremely low rate of misuse of firearms.
Further, the rate of violent crime has gone down quite significantly in the states bold enough to follow this trend.
I am a physician and scientist. Looking at relative risk and evaluating studies and statistics is part of my training. I was surprised to learn recently that, despite the hype of the highly anti-gun media and Clinton-Gore administration, gun deaths for both adults and children are the lowest they have been in 30 years, even despite the highly publicized shootings that have appalled us all in the past two years.
I was stunned to learn that, in 1996, a Centers for Disease Control study showed that far more children drowned in five-gallon buckets than died from accidental handgun shots (eight accidental handgun deaths for children under age 10, and 21 for children under age 15); whereas, 40 children a year under age 5 drown in water-buckets and 80 a year under age 5 drown in bathtubs.
I am certainly not condoning or excusing any accidental shootings as acceptable. Nonetheless, contrary to the propaganda that has shaped current popular opinion, including mine, firearms are much safer in the home than many other things we take for granted -- things that notably can't protect us from criminals or government tyranny.
With the recent Xerox tragedy in Honolulu, there will be a real hoopla from the anti-gun people to our large-city-based legislators this session.
It's time for some hard decisions. Obviously I've made mine. I would rather be a proud citizen like Wana than hiding behind locked doors.
How about you?
Bruce B. Kaimiloa Chrisman is a Big Island physician.