BEFORE THE ink dried from the Supreme Court decision in District of Columbia v. Heller, Mayor Thomas M. Menino joined Mayor Michael Bloomberg of New York to author an Op-ed published in Monday's Wall Street Journal. In it, the mayors point out and agree with the fact that most criminals purchase or possess firearms in violation of existing federal laws. However, that doesn't stop them from pushing new restrictions on sales and ownership.
Antigun forces can be counted on to routinely and frequently refer to the "gun show loophole." This canard is really just a way to outlaw sales between private individuals. Every federally licensed gun dealer is required to perform a background check prior to a sale. In addition, there are requirements for private sellers and buyers to report sales transactions. So, again, why not enforce the existing laws instead of repeatedly trying to create new ones?
The mayors attempt to substantiate their case by stating that 34 Americans are killed every day by a firearm. This statistic is designed to elicit support for further restrictions. However, in 2005 roughly 115 Americans were killed in automobile crashes every day. A little perspective changes the impact of their statistic.
Also, how many of those gun homicides are gang- or drug-related? Why not target the underlying source of the problem, which I believe often isn't the ability of law-abiding citizens to purchase, own, and carry a firearm.
ERIC CHAMBERS
Dedham
