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http://www.timesdispatch.com/editorial/MGBDCLOBKKC.html

No Magic Bullet=20
     Mar 21, 2001
    =20

In the aftermath of the awful shooting at Santana High School in Santee, =
the usual cries for more gun control are pouring forth. Call it a =
triumph of ignorance. Much of the public evidently does not know - =
because the media have failed to inform them - the facts on the ground =
in California. Consider the statement by Handgun Control's Sarah Brady:

I challenge President Bush to support the following: Mandatory safety =
training for gun owners . . . child access prevention laws . . . closing =
loopholes in our laws, such as the gun-show loophole . . . .In =
California, as in the rest of the country, it remains too easy for =
children to get guns.

Well. Consider the following. In California:

- No gun may be sold to an individual unless he presents a certificate =
of training from a gun-safety course.

- The law forbids juveniles to possess a pistol except with written =
permission or under the supervision of a guardian.

- All gun sales must be registered with the California Department of =
Justice, including sales at gun shows.

- All gun sales initiate a background check by local law enforcement.

- Individuals who bring a gun into the state must register it within 60 =
days.

- No loaded weapon may be carried in a public place.

- It is illegal to possess a gun on school grounds.

- The killer's father stored the murder weapon in a locked safe.

There is little more California could have done to prevent the Santee =
shooting short of banning the possession of weapons altogether, and even =
that might not have worked. (The District of Columbia bans pistols, but =
that does not stop murderous mayhem there.) Yet after each such incident =
comes the predictable demand for more and stiffer laws.

Following Santee, a rash of copycat incidents occurred. A girl was shot =
in a Williamsport, Pennsylvania, classroom. Sixteen students in =
California threatened teachers and students or brought weapons onto =
school grounds. A 12-year-old in Philadelphia was arrested for carrying =
a pistol. Also in Philadelphia, an 8-year-old armed with a pistol =
threatened a "bloodbath" at his school. A 15-year-old in Iowa threatened =
to shoot everyone at school. A high schooler in Florida brought a pistol =
to school. A high-schooler in Washington state brandished a gun. A =
Wisconsin boy who was disciplined fled and returned with a gun. Three =
Arizona students were arrested for threatening violence. A New Jersey =
boy was arrested for the same thing. And a Texas high-schooler was =
expelled when he was found with a hit list of students he allegedly =
wanted to kill.

Guns were far more readily available 40 years ago, and 40 years ago the =
law placed far fewer restrictions on gun ownership. But 40 years ago =
students did not kill their classmates, and schools did not post armed =
guards. Anyone who says he knows why this is happening now is misguided. =
But one can hazard a few guesses.

Far too many children grow up with no belief system, or a warped one, =
leaving them susceptible to the influence of a popular culture seething =
with nihilism, depravity, and bloodshed. The dominant academic pose =
holds that all things are relative, and people who insist on a set of =
core values are being judgmental and imposing their views on others. =
Finally, the stabilizing influence of a cohesive family is too often =
missing. (Charles Andrew Williams, the shooter in Santee, was living =
with his father only.)

These are complex and challenging problems - and they will not be solved =
with the magic bullet of yet more gun control.




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<DIV><FONT size=3D2><A=20
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<DIV><FONT size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><FONT size=3D6>No Magic Bullet</HEADLINE></FONT></STRONG>=20
<TABLE cellSpacing=3D0 cellPadding=3D0 width=3D"100%" border=3D0>
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    <TD><FONT face=3Darial,sans-serif size=3D2><SPAN=20
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    <TD align=3Dright><FONT face=3Darial,sans-serif size=3D2><SPAN=20
      class=3Darticledate><STORYDATE>Mar 21,=20
  2001</STORYDATE></SPAN><BR></FONT></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
<DIV class=3Dbody><BOD>
<P>In the aftermath of the awful shooting at Santana High School in =
Santee, the=20
usual cries for more gun control are pouring forth. Call it a triumph of =

ignorance. Much of the public evidently does not know - because the =
media have=20
failed to inform them - the facts on the ground in California. Consider =
the=20
statement by Handgun Control's Sarah Brady:</P>
<P>I challenge President Bush to support the following: Mandatory safety =

training for gun owners . . . child access prevention laws . . . closing =

loopholes in our laws, such as the gun-show loophole . . . .In =
California, as in=20
the rest of the country, it remains too easy for children to get =
guns.</P>
<P>Well. Consider the following. In California:</P>
<P>- No gun may be sold to an individual unless he presents a =
certificate of=20
training from a gun-safety course.</P>
<P>- The law forbids juveniles to possess a pistol except with written=20
permission or under the supervision of a guardian.</P>
<P>- All gun sales must be registered with the California Department of =
Justice,=20
including sales at gun shows.</P>
<P>- All gun sales initiate a background check by local law =
enforcement.</P>
<P>- Individuals who bring a gun into the state must register it within =
60=20
days.</P>
<P>- No loaded weapon may be carried in a public place.</P>
<P>- It is illegal to possess a gun on school grounds.</P>
<P>- The killer's father stored the murder weapon in a locked safe.</P>
<P>There is little more California could have done to prevent the Santee =

shooting short of banning the possession of weapons altogether, and even =
that=20
might not have worked. (The District of Columbia bans pistols, but that =
does not=20
stop murderous mayhem there.) Yet after each such incident comes the =
predictable=20
demand for more and stiffer laws.</P>
<P>Following Santee, a rash of copycat incidents occurred. A girl was =
shot in a=20
Williamsport, Pennsylvania, classroom. Sixteen students in California =
threatened=20
teachers and students or brought weapons onto school grounds. A =
12-year-old in=20
Philadelphia was arrested for carrying a pistol. Also in Philadelphia, =
an=20
8-year-old armed with a pistol threatened a "bloodbath" at his school. A =

15-year-old in Iowa threatened to shoot everyone at school. A high =
schooler in=20
Florida brought a pistol to school. A high-schooler in Washington state=20
brandished a gun. A Wisconsin boy who was disciplined fled and returned =
with a=20
gun. Three Arizona students were arrested for threatening violence. A =
New Jersey=20
boy was arrested for the same thing. And a Texas high-schooler was =
expelled when=20
he was found with a hit list of students he allegedly wanted to =
kill.</P>
<P>Guns were far more readily available 40 years ago, and 40 years ago =
the law=20
placed far fewer restrictions on gun ownership. But 40 years ago =
students did=20
not kill their classmates, and schools did not post armed guards. Anyone =
who=20
says he knows why this is happening now is misguided. But one can hazard =
a few=20
guesses.</P>
<P>Far too many children grow up with no belief system, or a warped one, =
leaving=20
them susceptible to the influence of a popular culture seething with =
nihilism,=20
depravity, and bloodshed. The dominant academic pose holds that all =
things are=20
relative, and people who insist on a set of core values are being =
judgmental and=20
imposing their views on others. Finally, the stabilizing influence of a =
cohesive=20
family is too often missing. (Charles Andrew Williams, the shooter in =
Santee,=20
was living with his father only.)</P>
<P>These are complex and challenging problems - and they will not be =
solved with=20
the magic bullet of yet more gun control.</P>
<P>&nbsp;</P></DIV></DIV></BODY></HTML>

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