On our trouble with guns
There is something each of us can do about the availability of guns on our streets. Send a letter, email, tweet, etc., to your elected representative in the federal, provincial and municipal governments letting them know you expect action on gun control.
Don’t be complacent. It’s up to us to create the society we want to live in. Patricia A. Semansky, Toronto Are we going to continue to offer our prayers and condolences to the victims’ families as this violence continues to escalate? Or are we going to make it a priority to find the criminals who smuggle illegal guns into our cities that ultimately injure and kill our citizens?
These criminals should be given a fair trial and, if convicted, be imprisoned for life. Perhaps that will send the message that this will not be allowed to happen in Canada. Dorothy Graves, Mt. Hope, Ont. Re The rules surrounding handguns in Canada, July 25 A handgun is designed for only one purpose — to shoot someone. The current move to keep guns out of the hands of people with mental problems is backward thinking. Rather, we need to identify those individuals with a real need to have access to a handgun, and ban all other possession. The question is: Who do you think you may need to shoot? Only the military, police and security personnel will have reasonable answers. Charles A. Johnson, Kingston Re Readers caution against anger and fear, July 25 Prof. Davidson is to be thanked for his calm, reasonable letter. The initial response of anger and fear is to be expected, but then we have to move on to explore the causes behind this horrific act. My heart aches for the victims. Yes, “hold hands, not guns.” Mary Myslik, Oshawa Re High time to ban handguns, July 24 The Star’s contention that preventing one shooting incident is enough justification to legislate a ban regrettably misses the mark. Bans will hardly address the anger of psychotics, or prevent them from murderous acts with whatever weapon they choose, whether firearms in the streets or machetes on public buses.
The issue indeed is not the use of one weapon or another, but the individual who committed the heinous act. Robert Michaels, Burlington Yes, the city of Toronto should ban handguns. At the same time, they can ban mental illness, and perhaps ban crime as well. Why not?
If it makes city council feel better about themselves, it is well worth the effort. But that is the extent of its function. I’m sure the next homicidal maniac will not care about breaking city bylaws when planning their next rampage. But at least the city can say they tried to stop them.
Cynicism aside, I actually do hope that the federal government decides to ban handguns outright. I’ve repeatedly criticized Prime Minister Trudeau’s mealy-mouthed approach to this country’s problems, but in this case I would support him if he moves to ban these guns that serve no other purpose but to end human life. Paul Graham, Mississauga My thoughts and prayers go out to the victims of the Danforth shooting victims. Let’s all hope that people don’t jump to rash conclusions on how and why this happened. Keep your opinions to yourself. Wait until all the facts are presented by the investigating bodies. Melissa Jean Cassidy, Toronto Words and prayers will not solve the problem of Toronto gun violence. We need action similar to that taken by Wyatt Earp many years ago in Tombstone. No guns in town. No one other than the police should have a handgun.
Our three levels of government should co-operate and, if necessary, set aside up to a billion dollars to buy back handguns. This process was successful in Australia where gun violence dropped to 25 per cent of what it had been before the buy-back. Don Bell, Woodbridge What’s wrong with us?
Why don’t we prioritize mental health services and make it a real service available to those whose only outlet seems to be destruction of other lives?
Why don’t we make a real effort to ban handguns?
Why don’t we make a real effort to reach gang members at an early age and give them good educational resources so that they don’t find gangs to be their only source of self-esteem? Lillian Shery, The alleged gunman suffered from psychosis and depression, and so yet again it’s being implied that mental illness may be to blame despite the fact only a tiny minority of violent crimes are committed by the mentally ill.
And the alleged shooter’s symptoms were not ameliorated by numerous psychiatric interventions. Why not? Where are explanations from organizations like the Canadian Mental Health Association and the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health? John Scully, Toronto I just want two simple questions answered.
First, how does a person with a history of mental illness obtain a gun?
Second, how does this person also learn to shoot a gun without their family and friends knowing about it and preventing it from happening? Jean Smith Cavalluzzo, Toronto As authorities scramble to find solutions to the unprecedented wave of violence on Toronto streets, they would do well to remember a time, pre-1995, when relative peace prevailed. Sadly, this was the year when former premier Mike Harris sowed the seeds of the social tensions that grew into the current mayhem, through deep cuts to social programs.
While this may not have been the only factor at play, it cannot be disputed that its role was instrumental. In short, given that the problem festered for a generation before erupting, it will likely take an entire generation to fix — provided, of course, that we implement solutions based on minimal foresight rather than trigger-happy, populist expediency. Jean-Charles Merleau, Gatineau
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