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From: renner@uiucdcs.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.politics
Subject: Re: More anti-gun control propaganda fro
Message-ID: <29200188@uiucdcs.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 4-Jan-85 05:25:00 EST
Article-I.D.: uiucdcs.29200188
Posted: Fri Jan  4 05:25:00 1985
Date-Received: Wed, 9-Jan-85 03:43:30 EST
References: <267@gargoyle.UUCP>
Lines: 56
Nf-ID: #R:gargoyle:-26700:uiucdcs:29200188:000:3007
Nf-From: uiucdcs!renner    Jan  4 04:25:00 1985

>>  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 (renner@uiucdcs)

>  So, in other words, if I am for gun control, I should just keep my
>  mouth shut and hope that eventually some legislation gets enacted...by
>  magic?			-- Jeff Shallit (shallit@gargoyle)

If you are truly interested in handgun *control*, you should make it clear 
that you are not interested in handgun *prohibition*.  Otherwise you only
frighten the gun owners, increasing their opposition to *any* control laws,
including reasonable ones.  

>  Try reading the official statement of Handgun Control, Inc.  It's been
>  the same for 15 years:  to pass federal law for 
>    1)  a waiting period and background check on handgun purchasers;  
>    2)  a ban on production and sale of "Saturday Night Specials"--the 
>        cheap, inaccurate, easily concealable guns that are the choice of 
>        criminals; 
>    3)  mandatory sentences for using a gun in a crime; 
>    4)  mandatory handgun safety-training programs for handgun purchasers; and 
>    5)  tighter requirements for handgun dealers and manufacturers.

For the most part I agree with the things proposed above.  I would like to
hear specifics on what is meant by "waiting period," "background check,"
and "safety-training programs".  A one-week waiting period is reasonable; a
one-year period is not.  The background check and training requirement 
should be such that a majority of adults can pass.

If groups such as HCI are only interested in control, they should change
their policy slightly.  I think their official statement should read:

    HCI supports the right of private citizens to possess handguns,
    subject only to reasonable controls designed to promote public
    safety.  We wish to enact federal laws guaranteeing this right,
    together with the following controls: ...

The NRA would have a much harder time opposing such proposals.  Gun owners
would eventually come to support such laws, once they lose their fear of
handgun confiscation.  After all, they aren't in favor of thugs using guns
or children shooting each other -- they just want to keep *their* guns.

Of course, if HCI did anything like this, it would lose the support of
handgun prohibitionists -- those people who want to take all handguns, and
who view all control laws as a first step to this goal.  But they would be
a small loss.  They are an obstacle to progress, just as the hard-liners
controlling the NRA are an obstacle.

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