<< Back 11/6/02 Lax gun laws aided snipers’ efforts to hide By Marshall Frank If the recent sniper fiasco doesn’t demonstrate what is wrong with our gun problems, nothing will. Yes, I’m one of those people coming out of the woodwork who believe that “law-abiding” people should be held accountable for the firearms they own. There’s not one human being on the planet who can convince me what is wrong with that. And if there was no NRA, and no politicians who dangled at their behest, some of those sniper victims might be alive today. Before we go any further, allow me to allay the concerns of readers who may want to label me a flaming liberal, anti-American or someone who wants to nullify your rights to own guns. Far from it. I’ve owned guns since I became a cop in 1960. And I believe in the Second Amendment, that all “law-abiding” Americans are endowed with the right to bear arms. But there is nothing wrong with accountability. We are accountable for the automobiles we drive, because they are dangerous instruments that kill and maim other people. Cars must be registered, drivers must be licensed, and owners must protect society with liability insurance. We have an orderly system of laws for the ownership and use of automobiles. Why not guns? I would be most happy to register my firearms with any local or federal agency, because I have nothing to fear, and nothing to hide. And I’ve never spoken to a gun owner who sees that as an infringement on their rights. A recent Gallup Poll revealed that 66 percent of Americans think that laws covering sales of firearms should be more stringent. Amen. Technology exists today that can establish a data base for all newly manufactured weapons, long and short barreled fire-arms, providing un-disputed identification for every gun. It’s a matter of shooting a projectile, and recovering a spent cartridge that will yield markings like a fingerprint, then entered into a data base which can later identify any of those guns used in a crime. The only possible objection to that would be because one enjoys seeing criminals getting away with murder and wishes to watch more death in America. What sayeth the NRA? What else? They blather the usual sound bites like, “Infringes on the Second Amendment,” or “It’s the first step toward losing your rights,” or “The government will confiscate your guns,” preying upon the fears of many gullible Americans who fall for such gibberish. When the topic of a gun database comes up, the media first asks the NRA about these things because we know that will translate to the party line of government. Puppets like John Ashcroft and George W. Bush will parrot whatever the mighty NRA dictates, because they are the most powerful lobby in Washington. And how does one get to become such a powerful lobby? Well, we all know the answer to that. I cringe when the NRA drivels about the founding fathers and all their wisdom, a la the 18th century. Thousands feed into that propaganda trap. I often wonder how the founding fathers would feel about the power of the gun lobby, which is nothing more than bribery, albeit legal. I also think about the founding fathers and their brilliant stands on issues like retaining slavery, and treating women as chattel, and all those other things that were pertinent to the 1700s. It is a far different era than the days of one-shot muskets and the need for a citizen’s militia. Today, an unseen enemy who flies no flag is invading our nation, murdering en masse for recreation, while we shutter in wait. Yet we hold on to the law of 1789. The National Rifle Association, with its money, greed and power, is as responsible for gun violence in America as the criminals themselves. The ludicrous resistance to such issues as background checks on buyers at gun shows, and registering guns in general, serves no other purpose but to enhance overall sales at the cost of anarchy. And the sniper case provides no better example. For if the database for guns existed, the murder weapon may have been identified within a day or two of the first shooting, which then could have been traced to the buyer. That, conceivably, could have led to the killer sooner and saved at least a couple of lives. The same goes for the other 11,000 gun-related murders a year in the U.S. Forensic technology exists which can aid law enforcement in the identification and apprehension of dangerous criminals, yet the NRA and their puppets block their way, all in the name of mega-sales and greed, while hiding behind a convoluted interpretation of Second Amendment. And people fall for it. Since the advent of the war on terrorism, federal law enforcement agencies have been stymied by the same attorney general who purports to be a front-line fighter of crime. By edict of John Ashcroft, the FBI was prohibited from looking into the records of gun ownership of the 1,200 suspects rounded up after Sept. 11. Even though current law dictates holding receipts of gun purchases for 90 days, Ashcroft agreed with the NRA policy that records should be destroyed after 24 hours. Where’s the outrage? Wake up, everyone! You’re being duped. They are using scare tactics and millions of dollars for influence and propaganda to make you believe you’re losing your right to bear arms. Nothing could be further from the truth, and people like Mr. Bush and Mr. Ashcroft know that. I am pleased to note that support for law enforcement among the citizenry in the 21st century has never been better. While we might find an occasional rotten apple in a barrel, people in general love their cops. They risk their lives everyday, and we all know it. More than 150 will die every year in the line of duty protecting you and I. When questions about crime and violence emerge, they are the experts from whom we trust the most. Trust them. Ask cops about our current system of gun laws. Ask people like Chief Charles Moose, or ATF and FBI investigators, or your rank-in-file police supervisors and front line stewards of law and order. The overwhelming majority of police professionals will tell you that current gun laws aid criminals and handcuff law enforcement from protecting you. Effective changes can be made that will not infringe on the right of “law-abiding” citizens to own guns. But it won’t happen without a strong outcry from enlightened Americans who are willing to say, “Enough!” (Marshall Frank is a retired Miami-Dade County homicide detective and a novelist who lives in Maggie Valley. He can be reached at mlf283@aol.com)