Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site alice.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!cbosgd!cbdkc1!desoto!packard!hoxna!houxm!mhuxj!mhuxr!ulysses!allegra!alice!ark From: ark@alice.UUCP (Andrew Koenig) Newsgroups: net.politics Subject: handgun control Message-ID: <3222@alice.UUCP> Date: Wed, 2-Jan-85 10:55:11 EST Article-I.D.: alice.3222 Posted: Wed Jan 2 10:55:11 1985 Date-Received: Thu, 3-Jan-85 04:15:36 EST Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories, Murray Hill Lines: 20 To all those people wailing about how many people are killed by handguns and how much better everything would be if those guns were illegal: What fraction of the handguns used to commit crimes do you suppose are actually legally held? I know the answer for New York City: almost none. It is virtually impossible to get a handgun permit in New York. The fellow who shot the four punks on the subway, for instance, did so with an illegal gun: after he was mugged four years ago, he applied for a pistol permit but was turned down because he failed to demonstrate sufficient need for it. If enough people want something badly enough, making it illegal has about as much effect as closing your eyes and pretending it isn't there. If we really want to solve the crime problem, maybe we have to look a little deeper for the solution.