Letter: Responsible gun owners safer than criminals

PUBLICATION: The Windsor Star
DATE: 2004.09.24
EDITION: Final
SECTION: Editorial/Opinion
PAGE: A9
BYLINE: James W. Thacker
SOURCE: Windsor Star

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Responsible gun owners safer than criminals

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Katrina Chodash’s letter (Sept. 18) says “who needs something that can take a life?”

Well, women who have been threatened by a former husband or boyfriend, for one. Instead of getting a restraining order, which is sadly not effective, she should buy a gun, get trained in its safe use, and protect herself.

She says police officers should have them because they are trained and know gun dangers. Actually, most users of handguns are more adept with guns because it is their hobby. They practise more.

As for knowing the dangers, every gun owner goes through extensive training in how to safely store and use a firearm.

She says those who own a gun are more likely to be injured by one than those who do not. Correct, but that is true about anything. If you own a car, you are more likely to be in a car accident than if you do not. But you do not say “I won’t own a car,” as the benefits outweigh this likelihood.

Proof that the accident risk when you own a firearm is low is the low cost of insurance offered to firearm owners.

Statistics that say you are more likely to shoot a family member than an intruder are not true. Guns often save lives, according to the research by Gary Mauser from SFU.

The notion that you should not have a gun for protection because it may be used against you is silly. If you were attacked and there was a knife nearby, would you not use it because the intruder might use it against you? No, you would defend yourself. With a gun you can do that from a distance.

Finally, Katrina feels safer in Canada because she does not wonder if the person next to her is armed.

In Toronto, shootouts with handguns are happening almost every day. Police cite a huge increase in handguns used by criminals. And you feel safe? Lots of Torontonians are armed, but they are the “bad guys.”

In Vermont, they allow law-abiding citizens to carry a firearm. If your life is threatened a “good guy” could come to your rescue.

Vermont’s law has not led to carnage on the streets. If fact, it is one of the safest states in the union. I wonder why?

James W. Thacker
Windsor