Dear Editor,
It was disappointing to read about two and a quarter pages full of the same
old litany in the paper of August 6, 2000 as it referred to guns and the tragic
consequences. It took seventeen of your reporters and five photographers to
compile subjective data which ranged from a time period of July 21, 9:02 AM to
8:30 AM the following day. There were 22 different categories of firearm usage
as copied from the files of the Wayne County Prosecutor's office. Oddly enough,
the same article could have been written by using the words automobile and truck
and no one would have been the wiser. I had to check the top of the page to make
sure that I wasn't reading the Free Press.
I found no information in all that verbiage relative to the hundreds upon
thousands of people whose lives have been saved by the mere fact that a law
abiding citizen had a gun with which to protect himself. No reference to the
countless studies based on facts which have been presented to the news media
time and time again whereby indicating proof that gun laws have been ineffective
in the deterrence of crime since they cannot include the criminals. And that
there has been a decline in crime in the states where concealed carry is legal.
Of course, to expect that the coin be flipped in order that the other side be
presented might be asking too much. I will, however, ask anyway. Assign the 17
reporters to the simple task of studying a few reports such as; from the
National Center for Health Statistics on the decrease in gun deaths since 1960;
or the ineffectiveness of laws such as the Brady Act as presented in the Journal
of the American Medical Association by Ludwig and Cook, Aug. 2 issue; or the
"New Wave of Concealed Handgun Laws" by Cramer and Kopel; or the
comprehensive book "More Guns, Less Crime" as written by John Lott a
professor at the University of Chicago whose data has been unsuccessfully
challenged by the gun control gang; or the extensive date compiled by the
"Citizens of America" where there is factual evidence regarding the
ineffectiveness of gun control laws.
Unlike other countries, America's strength lies in its citizenry whether it
be philosophically or militantly. Its citizenry has found that government
whether it be on the national, state or local scene cannot always defend it.
Therefore it is incumbent that Americans never lose their rights as individuals
to self defense and it is overwhelming data which concludes that this right of
self defense is not a harmful entity in the pursuit of life, liberty and
happiness.
Sincerely,
George M. Haddad
