Gun laws need a second look

The Tucson massacre has revived the gun-control debate. Well-regulated militias and single shotguns were essential to winning the Revolutionary War. The Boston Massacre killed five people, and that started the war. The Second Amendment was timely in 1789, but it urgently needs to be updated in 2011. The recent right-wing interpretation by the Bush-packed Supreme Court gutted existing gun laws but pleased the NRA and greedy gun dealers.

It is time for the legislature to revise the Second Amendment. Personally I would want to allow a homeowner to own guns provided he/she is qualified to use them. A homeowner does not need a gun with 30 bullets in the magazine for protection. Hunters do not need a machine gun to hunt. There is no sport in killing a deer with an assault rifle. Every gun owner should register legal weapons and be tested physically and psychologically to prove that he/she is qualified to use the weapons.

Along with updating the Second Amendment, punishment laws for violations should be severe. Death by firing squad should apply to drive-by shooters and armed robbers whether or not they have killed anyone. Life in prison is an unnecessary financial burden on taxpayers.

We need sensible gun control laws and a matching set of punishments for illegal possession or use of firearms. The flawed justice system needs to be overhauled so that innocent persons are never convicted.

Russell C.W. Crom

Mount Prospect