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From: rcj1@ihuxi.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.flame
Subject: An Editorial on gun ownership....
Message-ID: <572@ihuxi.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 13-Oct-83 16:53:18 EDT
Article-I.D.: ihuxi.572
Posted: Thu Oct 13 16:53:18 1983
Date-Received: Sun, 16-Oct-83 09:04:51 EDT
Organization: AT&T Bell Labs, Naperville, Il
Lines: 55



	Frankly, I'm getting sick and tired of the phrase:
	"Guns don't kill people, people kill people.".
	Recently there was a case of bad driving etiquette(sp?)
	on the Chicago Dan Ryan Xpressway. Involved were a
	van and a truck of some sort. One or the other
	(which one is not the point here) cut the other
	one off. As the van drove by the truck, the
	truck driver lifted up his hand as to flip the bird
	or some other hand gesture. Instead he fired a handgun
	at the van. The bullet entered the metal side of the
	van. Unfortunatly hitting a 14 year old girl killing
	her.

	What would have happened if the truck driver didn't
	have a handgun? Chances are all he would have done
	is flip-the-bird.

	Another case: A succesfull salesman, complete with
	beautifull suburban home suddenly finds himself in
	big financial trouble. Solution, get hold of a gun,
	shoot wife and kids then turn gun on self. If he didn't
	have access to a handgun do you think he still would
	have slaughtered his family? Maybe he wouldn't have had
	such an easy time committing the slaughter, thereby
	allowing possible escape of threatened family...


	I understand the most murders committed with a handgun
	are an act of passion rather then premeditated.
	And that most handguns in the house will be used against
	members of the family (accident or otherwise) rather
	then intruders!!!

	Now don't get me wrong. I'm not against owning handguns
	(at this point anyway). However something has to be done
	about needless deaths due to handguns. Don't say it's
	the people. Granted, the salesman could have used a
	butcher knife just as well as a handgun, however
	a life might have been spared due to the attempted
	method used. (Its not as easy as shooting someone.)

	The above cases indicated perfectly normal lives being
	led prior to the homicides. Had handguns not been
	available to the above perhaps a 14 yr. old and a
	family of 4 would still be alive...

	I think it's time that handgun ownership should seriously
	be looked into.
	More then just *WHO* should be able to own them, but
	should they even exist for the non-military, non-police.........

	Ray,
	ihuxi!rcj1