Focus on the shooters, not on their tools
RE: JOLINE Gutierrez Krueger March 25 column
Krueger is correct in her column that Boulder’s gun ban would not have deterred the King Soopers shooter if the court had not held the law to be contrary to state law. She’s also correct that now we’ll hear the same “tired song” from the left arguing for “common sense” gun restrictions and from the right arguing that the proposed gun laws affect law-abiding citizens rather than criminals. I think those on the right have the better argument.
(President Joe) Biden had his 10-year assault weapons ban, but it had no meaningful effect on reducing crime or gun violence per Department of Justice and academic studies — contrary to Biden’s and (House Speaker Nancy) Pelosi’s false statements. So-called “assault weapons” look like military automatic rifles but are simply conventional semi-automatic rifles commonly used for hunting, competition, plinking or self-defense that happen to look like a military assault weapon but not function like one.
Tougher background checks? All gun sales by licensed gun dealers are subject to background checks now whether at a gun store, gun show or online. The exception — not a “loophole” — is for private sales between family members, friends or others. How will background checks be made tougher that will reduce gun violence? The recent King Soopers’ shooter apparently passed his background check. Though known to his family to be mentally ill, he wasn’t on the list of those ineligible to buy a gun. Focus on that. … Unfortunately, multiple studies show that criminals obtain their guns through theft, the black market or their associates and therefore won’t be subject to a background check no matter how tough.
I’m not opposed to regulations that will reduce gun crime, but those on the left seldom propose that kind of regulation. What has been shown to reduce gun crime and violence is police presence, aggressive prosecution of those who use a gun in the commission of a crime and incarceration. It seems that many on the left don’t like this. If serious about fixing this problem, focus on the criminal shooter, not his tool. DAVID W. LIVINGSTON
Albuquerque