Guns

The anniversary of the Newtown, CT, massacre of innocents has brought them all out. This morning I heard the NRA (National Rifle Association) position on gun control reiterated on NPR (National Public Radio). I paraphrase: Gun control will never work at curtailing gun violence as long as law enforcement has not eliminated the criminal element in society. 

This is idiotic. Without guns in the society, there would be no gun violence. Plain and simple. 

If killing other animals for sport or shooting at targets is so important to these stalwarts of "freedom", why not agree to a system of gun leasing under highly regulated conditions for these purposes. In other words, a qualified shooter could obtain a gun from a government outlet (provided under the provisions of the sacred Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution) for a specific lawful purpose for a specific time. Guns which are leased legally could be programmed to deactivate at the end of the lease period. Unaccounted for guns could be traced by homing devices in the gun.

These same provisions should apply to all guns, including those used by law enforcement and military personnel. This should calm the more paranoid militia types. Any gun violence committed by government shooter against a civilian would be easily traced for prosecution of the shooter. Frankly, this would be a better provision for the public safety and civil liberties than the current state of affairs.

Guns do kill people, many of whom are unarmed and innocent of criminal activity. Fact.