Everyone's Opinion Newsletter

I am a retired State Police Officer and I take great offense at the Governor's use of the tragic death of a police officer to politicize this issue. Banning assault style guns or high capacity magazines will have no effect on the safety of police officers. Such a law will only serve to keep these items from people who obey the law. Criminals will still have access to illegal weapons. Remember, a criminal is defined as a person who does not obey the law. What makes the governor think that they will obey any new laws on gun control?

There is legislation already in place that would make a difference to police safety. It is the mandatory 5 years in prison for committing any crime with a gun. When was the last time you heard of any criminal being sentenced to 5 additional years in prison for violating this law? You haven't. It is not enforced. Why do we need more restrictions on law abiding citizens when we will not enforce the ones we already have against the criminals? Let?s remove the criminals instead of the guns from our streets.

I have another question for the Governor. Why is the murder rate so high in Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. and any other major city with strict gun laws? Yet, here in Blair County where we have more guns than people it is low. In fact, the murder rate throughout the state is 4 per 100,000 while in Philadelphia it is 19 per 100,000. Could there be other issues in play, such as gang activity, unemployment, a lack of family structure, a poor education, light sentences for violent offenders, etc.

Nowhere, I repeat, nowhere has the tightening of gun restrictions reduced crime. In fact, the opposite is true. Where gun restrictions have been relaxed crime has dropped. One other step the Governor might take to protect police would be to sign the death warrants for the 200+ convicted murderers in Pennsylvania. I would suggest that he begin Mummia Abu Jamal, a convicted murderer of a Philadelphia cop. I do not believe the death penalty is a deterrent to crime, but I do believe that using it and the mandatory 5 year sentence would send a message that might actually reduce the murder rate.

Before you jump on the Governor's gun control bandwagon ask yourself how the new law would have prevented this crime? How will it prevent criminals from using weapons? What deterrent effect will it have on the criminal? In the recent case of Sgt. Stephen Liczbinski, an assault weapon ban would not have prevented his death. It would have done nothing to preclude his murderers from using whatever weapons they had to escape arrest. It would have no deterrent effect on the criminal because judges do not add additional time in jail for violating gun laws during the commission of other crimes. Governor, get off your gun control soap box, instruct your law enforcement agencies to enforce the laws we already have, encourage the courts to hand down tough sentences for crimes committed with a gun, and make some room for them in the prison system by signing the death warrants. Then maybe more cops will get to enjoy their retirement.

Thomas

Duncansville, PA

What do you think?