Because of the tragedy of Newtown, Conn., where one deranged person killed 20 children and six adults in a school, we once again are being pressured by well-meaning people to make gun-control laws more stringent. To illustrate how faulty their thinking is, we attempted to solve the problems caused by alcohol consumption by instituting the Volstead Act and the result was a whopping failure. We legislated the recreational use of dangerous drugs and the drug problem still exists.
Chicago had the strictest gun-control laws in the country. It was declared illegal by the aldermen to even own a gun and Chicago still led the nation in gun-related crimes and gun deaths. Incidentally, the aldermen exempted themselves from this law and they all carry guns for self-protection. Mayor Richie Daly had six armed bodyguards because, obviously, his life is more precious than ordinary citizens', as are the lives of the aldermen.
The only way to prevent gun violence is to make guns illegal. It's very simple. First, prohibit the manufacture of guns worldwide. Second, don't allow any person to carry a gun. That includes police and military persons. I'm sure the United Nations would go along with such a great idea, and I'm sure no one on the face of the earth would cheat. Problem solved.
I own three handguns for self-protection and I will gladly turn them in when I see that they are not needed because the entire world has given up the ownership and use of guns. And that will happen when hell freezes over. Oh, well. Maybe we should go after bad people and leave the guns alone.
Gene Maril
Arlington Heights
