December 30, 1993
President Bill Clinton
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue
Washington, D.C.
U.S.A.
20500
Dear Mr. President
Re: Gun Legislation
As I am sure you agree, it is horrifying for millions of people around
the world to continually see the ongoing and never ending murder of human lives
in your country.
I am sure, too, that you, and most, would agree that it is particularly
a disgrace in the United States of America which is a nation which otherwise
should be so free and noble and principled. On a per capita basis, there are
130 times more murders by guns in the United States than there are in Great Britain.
The situation is no less frightening in Canada. (My own brother, who
was a partner of mine in business, and two other employees were murdered by
shooting in 1992 by a disgruntled employee.)
Accolades were given for the recent passing of the Brady Bill, but
really, especially after so many years of debate, with no impertinence
intended, its potential accomplishments can only be considered minuscule at
most.
Let’s put an end to the abhorrence. It’s an absurdity that Americans
believe that they can protect their own lives by possessing their own guns. It,
too, is ludicrous for citizens anywhere to think that they should and must have
the right to bear arms. Whether this was true and right at any time in your
nation’s history should no longer matter. If the Second Amendment of your
constitution permitted citizens to bear bombs, would that make it right? No,
and so it is with guns. But if it is too difficult or there is not the national
will to ban guns in their entirety, I suggest a very simple and effective and
inexpensive solution. With few minor exceptions, every citizen who chooses to
own any gun of any sort should have his/her gun registered and safely kept in a
local repository (possibly the local police station) to be checked out for
short periods of time for legitimate use with very severe penalties for
violators.
Oh sure, such a suggestion would be neither an instant nor a total
solution, but it would have a phenomenal deterrent effect in helping to bring
an end to the carnage. And, oh sure, many normal law abiding gun association
members will raise their objections and there will no doubt be those who would
still want to proudly display their marvelous gun collections over their
mantles, but this solution would be a small price to pay and tiny inconvenience
for the tremendous gains that would be made. I think Americans, like us all,
must be prepared to forego some of our so called “rights” in exchange for a few
responsibilities instead.
Murder, like any other wrong, begins within the human heart, but until
we can change man’s heart, let’s change the laws to ones that are meaningful
and substantial and honorable. It should now be clear that there is no honor in
having the right to bear arms.
I encourage you to exercise the necessary leadership to effect such a
change, promptly. Thank you.
Yours truly
Randall F. More, P. Eng.
