Irrational measure

Regarding the letter "He Only Helped to Further the Gun-Control Cause" (April 9): The key word in the letter was "twisted." The actions of a twisted mind are equally twisted and rarely bear any logic to whatever "cause" they are attempting to promote. My hope is that the general public is capable of reason and realizes that Richard Poplawski's act isn't a call for general gun control. Those three officers didn't die because of guns but by guns in the wrong hands.

A friend of mine expressed this analogy: We all have cars, but some operate them recklessly, some while drunk, causing death or injury. Should the government then take cars away from everyone? Taking cars from everyone would solve the problem of innocent people dying in car accidents, would it not? Doing so, of course, would be silly and irrational, and it is equally irrational to ban guns from use by everyone because some misuse or are careless with them.

Taking guns from ordinary, law-abiding citizens will only further endanger us. We will be left defenseless while the criminals, who care nothing about laws, will continue to illegally obtain guns. Most who use guns violently use "illegal" weapons anyway.

I'm sure organized crime is drooling at the thought of gun control. Banning guns (or making it too expensive for the average citizen to operate them) will take income from decent shop owners and give a very lucrative income to organized crime groups. Guns have always been part of our culture; they are here to stay. Having them remain legally is far less dangerous than illegally.

  

CHERYL CUNNINGHAM

Zelienople