Serving the High Plains

Letter to the Editor

A study was made of 19 countries, evaluating how safe they were from violent injuries or death from guns.

Our country came in last by a large margin even though we have far more guns for “personal protection.”

There are approximately 33,000 deaths a year by guns. Since 1970, more deaths from guns have occurred than in all wars our country has been involved in. Statistics show a gun in the home is more likely to injure a family member than an intruder.

The National Rifle Association prevents doctors discussing the gun situation in the home with patients. If a dealer is the source of a lot of guns sold illegally and/or used in crimes, the government cannot make this public, thanks to NRA.

Federal law requires licensed gun dealers to notify Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms when a single purchaser buys two or more guns in five days. To bypass that, simply go to another dealer. With a central database, multiple purchases could be recognized immediately. The NRA prevents establishing a CDB so the ATF would have to go through thousands of records to catch it.

NRA blocks adequate funding for ATF, resulting in the same personnel level as 40 years ago.

In 2012, after the killing of 20 children, 92 percent of Americans favored background checks for all gun buyers. A Republican pollster in 2012 found that 87 percent of gun owners favored background checks. NRA opposed it; guess who the politicians listened to.

Former Chief Justice Warren Burger said the Second Amendment “Has been the subject of one of the greatest pieces of fraud, I repeat the word ‘fraud,’ on the American public by special interest groups that I have seen in my lifetime.”

Only one thing is lacking to reduce gun deaths: political will.

Leon Logan

Tucumcari