Gun control is about control

By: centraljersey.com
Rahm Emanuel once said, "Never let a good crisis go to waste."
Unfortunately, that’s exactly what is going on in the aftermath of the tragedy in Arizona.
It was only a matter of time before the anti-Second Amendment types came crawling out of the woodwork. Ever since their defeats by the Supreme Court, these people are more than ready to exploit this horrible event to push their agenda.
This is in response to the letter from the Rev. Robert Moore in last week’s Beacon. I find it incredible that the anti-Second Amendment groups are still trying to convince people that more laws will have any effect on violence.
Do they really believe we are that stupid? This may be a shock to some people, but committing a violent act against another person is already illegal.
Here’s another shocker: Criminals and mentally ill people don’t obey the law. They don’t obey the current laws so why would anyone think that even more laws would be the answer?
First, government has the burden to show that a regulation will not unduly impede the use of firearms for self-defense. Second, modest steps down a slippery slope must not compromise core Second Amendment rights. Third, a regulation must be effective in promoting public safety when weighed against reliable evidence that past restrictions have not lessened the incidence of gun-related crimes.
Recall that Washington banned handguns for 33 years. During some of those years, the city was known as the nation’s murder capital.
Killers not deterred by laws against murder were not deterred by laws against having guns. Moreover, anti-gun regulations did not address the deep-rooted causes of violent crime – illegitimacy, drugs, alcohol abuse and dysfunctional schools – much less mental instability.
In 2004, the National Academy of Sciences reviewed 253 journal articles, 99 books and 43 government publications evaluating 80 gun-control measures. Researchers could not identify a single regulation that reduced violent crime, suicide or accidents.
A year earlier, the Centers for Disease Control reported on ammunition bans, restrictions on acquisition, waiting periods, registration, licensing, child access prevention and zero tolerance laws.
CDC’s conclusion: There was no conclusive evidence that the laws reduced gun violence.
So much for the quasi-religious faith that more controls mean fewer murders.
In regards to the lifting of the assault weapons ban, The New York Times wrote a few months after the ban expired, "Despite dire predictions that the streets would be awash in military-style guns, expiration of the assault weapons ban has not set off a sustained surge in sales (or) caused any noticeable increase in gun crime."
In New Jersey, like many other states, lifting the ban did absolutely nothing because the state laws in effect were already some of the most restrictive in the nation.
Gun control is not about guns, it’s about control. Also, assault is an action, not a device.
Blaming guns for the violent acts of criminals is like blaming matches for arson.
"Those who trade liberty for security have neither." John Adams.
Thomas Ross Hillsborough
Woman’s Club thanks donors to tree lighting
To the editor:
The Woman’s Club of Hillsborough would like to thank the following businesses for their generous support to the township Christmas tree lighting held last month:
Hillsborough Funeral Home, Avalon, Pheasants Landing, Financial Resources and Motorworks.
Carolyn Treffinger President Woman’s Club of Hillsborough
Law is policy all can root for
To the editor:
Everyone has a different opinion on issues handled by Gov. Christie, but in December, he signed a law that is beneficial to New Jersey sports fans and participants alike, which happens to be the majority of the state.
The Contact Act was introduced by Congressman Bill Pascrell to help protect athletes statewide from the collegiate level down to the youngest beginners from the dangerous aftereffects of sports concussions.
Grants are being authorized to fund equipment to test injured players for concussions and to set policies for recognizing when a concussion occurs to an athlete and how to handle it properly.
Trainers, educators, coaches and anyone involved in youth sports will be receiving specific guidelines from the Department of Health and Human Services, which will help all recognize when a possible head injury occurs and what should be done to prevent further trauma.
Contact hopes to change the statistics that only 10 percent of concussions are correctly diagnosed. Out of that 10 percent, 42 percent return to their sport or activity too soon, which risks Second Impact Syndrome, which can make the injury worse and the recovery even longer.
Many talented athletes are unaware that if they return to the field after a concussion before their brain has had a chance to heal, a second concussion can lead to permanent brain damage or brain swelling that can result in sudden death without immediate treatment.
The Brain Injury Association of New Jersey has been supportive of this legislation, which was sponsored by Assemblyman Patrick Diegnan Jr. and Sen. Richard Codey. No matter what team you favor, this is legislation we can all root for.
Ryan Mahalsky Hillsborough