Gun proposal wouldn't quell the shootings

In Chicago there are 30, 40, 50 shootings every week. A year ago, Gov. Pat Quinn and members of the Illinois legislature patted themselves on the back for passing the "toughest" (their word), most ineffective gun control law in the U.S. It didn't quell the violence one bit.

Gov. Quinn's new innovation is to ban assault weapons, which again will have no effect on shootings in Chicago. First of all, criminals and gangbangers don't obey the law. Murder is against the law but is rampant anyway.

Second, not a single shooting incident in Chicago involved an "assault weapon." Assault weapons don't exist. "Assault weapon" is a term gun control advocates invented so they would have a name for a concept they want to ban.

Third, I'd bet nearly every shooting incident involved illegal, nonregistered hand guns, which are already against the law.

Fourth, true assault-type weapons, also known as submachine guns, were banned in 1934 by federal law. Only military and law enforcement personnel are legally permitted to use submachine guns.

Gov. Quinn's proposed law won't make a bit of difference in the shooting and killing rate.

Donald Froelich

Mount Prospect