Gun Control and ’22 Cowardly Acts’

Here we go again!

The editorial “22 Cowardly Acts” (Sept. 17) should have been headlined “22 Courageous Acts.” These 13 Republican, eight Democratic and one independent state senators were brave enough to vote against the ill-conceived (Sacramento Democrat Lloyd G.) Connelly bill. These people are apparently intelligent enough to ignore the current anti-gun hysteria and vote the way they know is right. Unlike the obviously emotionally charged gun haters, these people apparently know the facts and the facts are that more restrictive firearm laws do nothing to reduce violent crime.

Let’s stop pretending we’re all blind! Look at New York City. Look at Detroit. Look at our nation’s capital. Strict gun control laws have always failed miserably while violent crime has increased alarmingly. Criminals buy drugs on the street; criminals buy guns on the street. They always have and they always will as long as we allow them to roam our streets at will.

People can (and I’m sure will) bash the National Rifle Assn. all they want. But the fact is the NRA will continue to protect our individual right to protect ourselves and our families in these increasingly violent times. We know the police can’t always be there. We know violent criminals are being let out on the streets continuously.

Why can’t we stop arguing and join together to repair the problems at the source--our failing justice system, our lack of mental health care, our drug abusers. The more time we waste arguing among ourselves the more innocent lives will be lost.

MIKE BALL

Canoga Park