New Fox News Op-ed: Guns: India, Toys "R" US, and Football Players
This new piece for Fox News will be up later today:
UPDATE: Follow up on the Toys "R" US part of my piece:
Thanks to Carl Johnson for sending me this update.
Banning guns is in the news. India practically bans guns, but it didn’t stop the horrific Muslim terrorist attacks this last week. A football player concerned for his safety violates New York City’s tough gun control regulations by carrying a concealed handgun, and people call for everything from banning NFL players having guns to demanding that he serve many years in jail.
Where is the sympathy or debate in either case over letting people defend themselves? Given that the terrorists smuggled their machine guns in with them, would anyone argue that India’s extremely strict gun licensing and artificially high prices for guns help prevent the terrorist attacks? In fact, the reverse is more likely the case.
Would Plaxico Burress, the New York Giant’s receiver who was arrested yesterday, really have been safer just trusting the police to protect him? . . .
UPDATE: Follow up on the Toys "R" US part of my piece:
The two men involved in the shooting at Toys R Us in Palm Desert on Friday did not have licenses to carry concealed weapons, according to police officials.
The men, Alejandro Hernandez Moreno, 39, of Desert Hot Springs and Juan Carlos Meza, 28, of Cathedral City, died in what witnesses to the shooting described as a gruesome confrontation.
Sheriff's officials reiterated Tuesday that Moreno and Meza fatally shot each other.
When police arrived at the scene, they reportedly found one handgun near each of the dead men.
That the men were not authorized to carry concealed weapons is not unusual — few Riverside County residents have “concealed carry weapons licenses, ” authorities say.
“There's an underground black market economy for weapons throughout the state, throughout the region,” Indio Police Chief Brad Ramos said. “I'm concerned in Indio. I'm concerned in the Coachella Valley. I'm concerned in the state. It is something that concerns me.”
Last year, 734 county residents were licensed to carry concealed weapons, according to the California Department of Justice.
The license allows a person to carry a loaded pistol, revolver or other firearm that's capable of being concealed on that person.
It's not easy to get a concealed carry license. Private citizens must prove a demonstrated need for special protection and meet strict requirements.
“I can't just go in there and say I need a permit for protection,” said Ben Guitron, Indio Police Department spokesman. “Not in California.”
Thanks to Carl Johnson for sending me this update.
Labels: Athletes, GunControl, multiplevictimpublicshooters, op-ed
posted by John Lott at 9:21 AM
4 Comments:
I am going to class this weekend, having signed up weeks ago, to get my CCW here in Arizona.
Carrying a gun by a response-able citizen is the great equalizer to criminals who care nothing about the civil liberties of their fellow citizens.
This story may have been prevented had ANYONE had a gun available to them in New York, my recent place of residence:
http://wcbstv.com/breakingnewsalerts/nyc.bus.driver.2.877183.html
If you are going to be a person in this world who is NOT a victim to other people's choices, then YOU must choose how best to be response-able to situations, especially situations such as these.
Ask yourself the question: how likely would a criminal be to attack another citizen if he knew that any number of citizens might be carry a gun?
Be prepared.
Act responsibly.
Protect yourself and others.
Every talking head on TV is asking "Why do athletes need to carry guns?" The better question is "why DON"T more athletes carry?". Five days of reporting on India's travesty reveals that these attackers proceeded unmolested, unconcerned and without cover through crowded public areas (including trendy nightclubs)for over ten minutes, shooting the cowering victims without mercy. These victims assumed some police or authorities would be their protector in such a civilized (ie. gun free) setting. Pity. How many dozens would be alive if just one or two of the potential victims were armed with a sidearm?
In re Mumbai, a Dec 3 article claims that the entire police force[s] of that locale has less than 500 weapons - and that no training or practice has been done for over nine years. Which may explain why one local reporter claims to have seen armed police trying to hide without any attempt to fire at the killers.
You should not be excusing the actions of Plaxico Burris. If he had taken the time to responsibly exercise gun ownership, train properly, and learn gun safety, he'd at least have been carrying in a proper concealed holster and not with his Glock sliding down his pants while drinking alcohol. At the very least he should be blasted for being a ridiculously irresponsible gun owner/carrier.
And if he'd bothered to learn about concealed carry at all, he'd have known his state's laws. And please don't try to excuse his behavior with saying he has a right to defend himself. This guy had multiple other options, including hiring private body guards, and even not going to night clubs he feels he needs to carry a gun into when he's on the injured reserve list.
He is going to reap what he's sowed. Let him go.
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