Conservation Corner: October 28, 2002

A Few Facts About Gun Control
by James L. Cummins

I believe in protecting myself and my belongings against all enemies, foreign and domestic. I believe that the 2nd Amendment was meant for all citizens, not just the military. And I have no problem with some of the sensible gun control proposals that are being put forth, but we must ask ourselves if they will work or if they are more about eliminating guns?

I hope I never have to read about a family all being shot by an intruder except the husband. He was holding a .38, with a mandated trigger lock on it and says that he could have saved his family if he could have removed it in time. Some proposals make one wonder who is being protected. I hope I never have to read about another child being killed or kidnapped either.

About a year ago was the largest gun control rally ever held. It had a lot to do with children. But we must ask ourselves, is it wrong to be concerned about guns and children? Absolutely not. Let's just keep our facts straight.

According to the Justice Department, 13 children/day are killed by guns in America; although true, this statistic is misleading. A report by the American Journal of Public Health found that in 43% of those houses where children are killed by guns, guns are not locked away; in 9%, guns are loaded. Yet, of these 13 children (it all depends on the definition), 84% of them were between 15 and 20 years old. Most of these (teenagers by my definition) were killed in gang conflicts, often over drugs, which, the last time I checked, were illegal. Safety locks would have not prevented these; however, better law enforcement, stiffer sentences for drug dealers and better child (or teenager) and parent relationships would go far in reducing such problems. Let's explore these statistics. In 1997 the number of children under 5 that were killed in gun accidents was 20 (for the record, that is half the number who drowned in five-gallon buckets). For the ages 14 and under statistics indicate 142.

So, is there a need for trigger locks or storage laws? They may do some good, but they may do more harm than good too. John Lott, a professor at the Yale Law School, recently told National Journal, "I could not find a relationship between safe storage laws and total accidental gun deaths or suicides." The reason, he suggested, is that accidental gun deaths occur in the "not-so-law-abiding segments of society." They ignore gun laws anyway.

Today, many kids are divorced from the land. They are not becoming well-rounded by getting to know the land, how to handle guns, or even a rod and reel. Their "guardian" is a television. Proposing sensible legislation that will work is good. Stretching the truth to benefit a cause is not.

James L. Cummins is Executive Director of the Mississippi Fish and Wildlife Foundation in Stoneville, Mississippi. Known as "Wildlife Mississippi," the Foundation is a non-profit, conservation organization founded to conserve, restore and enhance fish, wildlife and plant resources throughout Mississippi