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From: renner@uiucdcs.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.politics
Subject: Re: Happy New Year to NRA members
Message-ID: <29200187@uiucdcs.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 3-Jan-85 02:42:00 EST
Article-I.D.: uiucdcs.29200187
Posted: Thu Jan  3 02:42:00 1985
Date-Received: Fri, 4-Jan-85 00:32:16 EST
References: <262@gargoyle.UUCP>
Lines: 30
Nf-ID: #R:gargoyle:-26200:uiucdcs:29200187:000:1531
Nf-From: uiucdcs!renner    Jan  3 01:42:00 1985

>  I just heard on the news that in the past 12 hours there were three
>  handgun deaths in Chicago.  In the most tragic incident, a six-year-old
>  boy was shot to death by his eight-year-old cousin.
>  
>  When are we going to get national handgun control?
>  				-- Jeff Shallit (shallit@gargoyle)

Probably never.  There is a very large group of people who are very
determined to hold onto their rifles, shotguns, and handguns.  They will
continue to oppose all handgun control laws -- even the mild ones, like
registration -- because they believe that these are intended as a first
step towards disarming them completely.

It's easy to see why they believe this.  They listen to the handgun control
proponents.  Most of these people talk about *control*, but it is clear
that what they want is a handgun *ban*.  Some go further, talking about
how we should "melt all the guns," take away shotguns and rifles, trust the
police to protect us, and live together in peace and harmony.

I belive that firearm ownership should be regulated; after all, guns are
nearly as dangerous as motor vehicles, and we require testing and licensing
for these.  I believe that the gun owners would consent to these laws if
they thought the purpose was regulation and not a ban.  I believe that
without the consent of the gun owners, gun control laws will never be
passed and enforced.  I find it ironic that each time Jeff screams about
the need for gun "control" he reduces the chance of any change.

Scott Renner
{ihnp4,pur-ee}!uiucdcs!renner