Letter : Guns don’t fire on their own
Date: Feb 16, 2005 7:17 AM
PUBLICATION: The Hamilton Spectator
DATE: 2005.02.16
SECTION: Opinion
PAGE: A17
SOURCE: The Hamilton Spectator
BYLINE: Bruce N. Mills, Dundas

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Guns don’t fire on their own

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In Toronto last weekend there were five separate shootings, two people
killed and six injured.

What will it take for people to realize that the federal Liberal
government’s much vaunted Firearms Act is a complete and utter failure?

The billion dollars that have been wasted on this boondoggle could have
been better spent on putting more cops on the streets, or funding our
justice system to keep criminals off them.

Criminals seem to be able to get guns with impunity, while cops are
chasing down law-abiding gun owners for paperwork.

Focusing on the object is a completely illogical exercise and is doomed
to failure — prohibitions never work, as we have seen all too well.

Guns are inanimate objects, with no will or intent of their own.

Only the action and intent of a human agent will determine if the
discharge of a firearm is “good” or “bad.” Harassing and criminalizing
target shooters, collectors and hunters is simply not the answer.

The focus must be put on those who commit real criminal acts that
actually cause harm to other people.