Stolen guns make us unsafe
Our area has been known for good hunting since there were buffalo along Buffalo Creek. We have produced phenomenal marksmen since Colonial times, when Lew Wetzel won a race where he had to run around barrels 50 yards apart while reloading and shooting his one-shot muzzleloader, hitting a target three times. This was a handy skill if you were being chased by Indians who thought you could only shoot once.
But there is a result of present gun ownership that is problematic.
On Sept. 4, 2015, after a local incident where someone used a gun to defend themselves, the Observer-Reporter published a letter citing national research where guns had been used appropriately to protect lives. I wrote a letter in response urging people to do their own research using the Observer-Reporter. Count the number of guns reported as stolen – which means, in effect, they are given free to criminals – and count the incidents of appropriate self-protection.
In April, a man with a record of violence and law-breaking was shot and killed in Burgettstown by another man who was apparently protecting a woman who had been abused by the man who was shot. I only know what I’ve read in the newspaper, but it seems no charges have been filed, so I take it that the shooting has been deemed justified.
My point is that between these two local uses of guns for defense, there have been 61 guns reported stolen in the Observer-Reporter. In other words, if you don’t respect a gun enough to keep it safely, that gun is more likely to be making our whole society more dangerous. The National Rifle Association gives classes on responsible gun ownership, but they don’t seem to be doing enough. Surely, there are ways to improve on this situation.
The Rev. Gerard H. Weiss
Washington