Armed to the Teeth in Gun Control Debate

Re “Gun Panel Hears With an Ear Shut,” Commentary, Aug. 31:

John R. Lott Jr. makes a huge point of allying political opportunism to gun-control laws, but he is careful to represent only one point of view. What I would really like Lott to address is gun-control registration and the political reasons for not having it. Registration is the third rail of this argument and he knows it; registration of guns would provide the control most people could accept, but due to the political activism of pro-gun groups, it cannot be achieved. Without registration, anti-gun groups are left with shaky and sometimes frazzled arguments for gun control. I personally don’t care how many guns we have in this country, but I want them all registered.

Donald A. Dzienis

Bellflower

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Lott claims that there are academic studies showing guns being used 2 million times defensively. Could he please quote those studies and tell us who paid for them? Could he please tell us who funds the organization he works for? Could he please explain why countries that have stricter gun laws do not have the problem we do? Unless he can, we will know he is just another well-paid shill.

Jack Seidman

Long Beach

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Guns used for self-defense--what a novel idea! Perhaps a pistol in the purse of one recently shot, stabbed or bludgeoned-to-death woman could have made a difference. Perhaps someone’s mother, daughter or friend would still be alive if the laws of this state did not deny her the ability to protect herself.

Only when law-abiding citizens are allowed the means to protect their own lives will the bad guys start to worry.

James Bjorseth

Granada Hills