Infringing liberty

Paul Geenen says, “Let’s talk about gun violence” (Opinions, Dec. 14).

Yes, let’s. Predictably, he appeals to emotion as though there is an answer in it. There isn’t. “Seven children and teens die from a gun” every day, he says. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, half of all youth “gun deaths” are 18- and 19-year-olds, and the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel daily headlines tell us who they are.

He says the argument for “tightening” guns laws, a euphemism for infringing liberty, is that freedom comes with responsibility. Well, yet another analysis, using Bureau of Justice Statistics, proves that people with carry permits have one of the lowest rates of firearms misuse.

“Tightening” laws will not supernaturally cause criminals to decide the game is up and turn in their guns. They won’t comply with current or proposed laws, especially registration schemes masked as background checks. Since only honest people are affected, the clear intent is to further restrict their liberty.

“Common ground” always has meant to these people knuckling under to ever greater decreases in liberty for already peaceable people.

According to Wisconsin Department of Corrections 2011 data, 30% of prisoners released will be back within three years. It is a minority of people from small geographic areas that offend and re-offend, not the millions of responsible CCW permit holders.

The pages of the Journal Sentinel show how often violations of gun laws are dropped in criminal prosecutions, and the president of the United States “pardons” inmates who were jailed for using guns in crimes. Let’s tighten up those loopholes.

Jan Gerstner Delafield