Tuesday, September 05, 2006
Guns don't make anyone safer
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Harry F. Hambrick Jr.
Hambrick lives in Roanoke.
Too often when there's a tragedy like the recent Morva incident, there's a gun rights advocate ready to use the fear generated by this type of incident to advance the gun agenda, as Bradford Wiles does in his recent commentary. Their argument typically is not based on a situation where a private citizen actually used a gun to prevent a murder or some other tragedy, but rather is always what might have been.
Wiles also suggests that if we allowed him and other college students to carry guns on grounds, his and others' implied "fear of helplessness" would be alleviated.
In my 55 years I've read a lot of newspapers and watched a lot of news on TV, and I just have not seen many reports of incidents where private citizens packing handguns have defended themselves or prevented crimes. I'm sure those incidents do occur, but I'm equally sure they don't occur in meaningful numbers.
Not too long ago the gun people argued that this was a failure in reporting by the "liberal media," but today, when conservatives have clearly captured a large part of the media, I still don't see reports of crime-preventative gun use by private citizens.
In contrast, we read every day of incidents where private, usually law-abiding citizens use too readily available guns with tragic consequences -- emotionally charged domestic disputes, alcohol-related disputes, road rage and, rarely, misguided attempts at private law enforcement.
Most people who want to carry a gun believe that they are responsible and safe, and most are, but too many aren't and far too many don't remain that way in difficult circumstances.
The Morva incident was handled admirably by law enforcement. In response to Wile's implied question: Yes. I do expect you to rely, as everyone else does, on trained law enforcement rather than on yourself, with a gun.
I feel better knowing that my daughter, a college student, does not have a gun and does not need a gun largely because her college, like Virginia Tech, prohibits them on college grounds.
Some may believe that guns at frat parties and football tail-gates would be a good idea, but I can't recall, during my moments of relative sobriety at those events, ever being overcome by a "feeling of helplessness" at not having a gun at my side.
Even the most ardent gun advocate would, or should, admit that there are people that we, as a people, should prohibit having guns -- convicted felons, the mentally disabled.
As soon as you put any person on that prohibited list, you're recognizing that the Second Amendment cannot be an absolute unbridled right for every individual to "bear arms."
The Morva incident was very dangerous and very frightening, but to use it to advocate putting guns in the hands of college students on college grounds is wrong.
