Everybody’s Column
Buffalo News, One News Plaza
Buffalo NY 14203
Editor:
Rod Watson was absolutely correct when he wrote his column on gun control, in spite of a letter criticizing him. Rod’s premise that gun control doesn’t work because criminals don’t obey laws is absolutely the truth. It stands to reasons that if banning a product would reduce crime or abuse, Prohibition would have been a big success and we wouldn’t have a drug addiction problem.
Think of that. No drunk drivers killing people and nobody dying because of overdoses of illegal drugs. What a wonderful society. Of course that won’t happen. Deaths are not caused by guns. They may be involved in deaths because of suicides or accidents, but it takes a person who is evil or deranged to make a gun dangerous and used in a murder.
From the most recent FBI report, there were 15,070 homicides with 11,004 linked to the use of guns, 374 specifically linked to rifles of all kinds. The number of slaying included 1,694 by cutting instruments and 656 beaten to death by the use of hands and feet. 472 were killed by blunt force, like with hammers and baseball bats.
The number of murders in NY were 628, and increase of 17 over the previous year. Fewer deaths by guns, but more by edged weapons. Rod was correct. If the criminal doesn’t have a gun, he will use other means. The problem is evil and deranged people, not guns.
Respectfully
Budd Schroeder
Chairman Emeritus , SCOPE
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