Date: Sun, 30 Dec 2001 12:56:49 -0700
From: clydem@SEDONA.NET (Clyde McClelland)
Subject: Loopholes vs Accuracy:  Article in Arizona Capitol Times, 12/28/01
To: AZRKBA@asu.edu


My comment to editor@azcapitoltimes.com
NOTE:  Otis Smith is the father of Sharon Smith, who was killed by random
gunfire.  He is the president of "Helping Arizonans Limit Tragedy" and
"Citizens of to Prevent Gun Violence."
BEGIN COMMENT:
Sir:
I depend on the Capitol Times for accurate, factual reporting on
legislative issues. Your publication of "The Gun Show Loophole" by Otis
Smith violates that standard and damages your credibility.
.
Mr. Smith advocates legislative action on a controversial topic. His
presentation of this issue is inaccurate. There is no "gun show loophole"
-- the Congress included explicit provisions to permit citizens to sell
personally-owned firearms without governmental interference. The Second and
Fifth Amendments demand no less. Nowhere in his article does Mr. Smith
acknowledge that the overwhelming majority of firearms sales at a typical
gun show pass through the hands of federally-licensed dealers who MUST
perform background checks on would be purchasers. Mr. Smith assumes that
the alleged "terrorists" were detected and punished as a matter of luck. In
fact, guns shows are closely monitored. The Department of Justice reports
that only seven-tenths of one percent of the guns used in crime pass
through the gun show channel (one crime gun for every 150 firearms sold). A
less biased author would assume that a similar percentage would apply to
guns purchased by "terrorists," especially when firearms do not seem to be
the weapon of choice. Would Mr. Smith also demand a background check on
every sale of a box cutter at the local hardware store?
.
Mr. Smith quotes, without attribution, information which appeared in a
press release by an anti-gun organization. He fails to mention, for
example, that a Florida jury did not agree that the individuals charged
were associated with the Irish Republican Army. The National Rifle
Association has reviewed these data and their reports place these incidents
in their proper context.
.
May I suggest that you correct the imbalance created by Mr. Smith's article
by publishing excerpts from the reports of the National Rifle Association
about the sources used by Mr. Smith. (I would be glad to supply a selection
if you request.) With respect to Senator McCain's gun show loophole bill
(S.890), may I suggest that you invite a special contribution from Alan
Korwin, the author of "Arizona Gun Laws." You may reach him at
http:\\www.gunlaws.com. He is the best qualified individual I know to
comment on yet another gun control law that would destroy gun shows as we
know them. Senator McCain's bill, for example, would register every
participant at a gun show -- even if he or she did not buy or sell a single
firearm.
.
Arguably, four pistols in the hands of four competent, courageous
individuals could have terminated the WTC terrorist act without "innocent"
casualties. Gun control legislation disarms only the innocent. Criminals
and terrorists have many sources for their weapons that are cheaper and
less risky than gun shows under the surveillance of the friendly folk who
gave us Waco. Don't demand further "compromise" from law-abiding gun
owners. We have been there, done that. This phony "loophole" issue is a
case in point. We accepted the "instant check" which has proved neither
"instant" nor always available on line. Now the anti-gun, anti self
defense, gun prohibition movement wants to use it as one more step down the
slippery slope toward confiscation of private property.
.
END COMMENT