Guns don't Kill People -Letters to Editor

Letter to Editor on article 'Guns Don't Kill People - People Kill People'

by Mari

I must say that I disagree with the fact that any one can posses guns. I'm not American and I don't know the checks people has to go through before they can buy a gun.

In Spain, my country and as far as I know, only policemen and the army can have guns. Also people who want to hunt animals can have them but they have to pass several tests, including psychological before they can have them. As far as I know it's also a particular range that they would be allow to according to that activities. Guns are dangerous and if every one can have them, then how can any one feel secure.

I agree that knives are dangerous too, but one would really have more chances to escape to that than to escape a gun shot. I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING AGAINST AMERICA OR AMERICANS and I wish to visit lots of the lovely things that there seem to be there, but at the same time I think that I would feel quite paranoid being there just by the thought that any one who has emotional problems could feel like pointing at me and sweep me away.

It wouldn't be excusable just because they aren't right in the head and therefore guns should only be allowed for certain activities and under a very careful and strict control. In Europe it isn't legal for people to have guns and life isn't a battle. There are crimes every where in the world, with guns or without them, but there should be a tougher control over such a dangerous issue.

We have to take into account that not every one is as careful as some might be and people make mistakes or take chances, get distracted, whatever.... Any one can get hold of this weapons, even children just because some one else wasn't careful enough and then there goes another tragedy. I'm sorry but I'll never support the use of guns, although I'm opened to listen people' opinions and I could possibly, although unlikely change my mind about all this issue.

Dear Mari;
Thank for writing in in response to 'Guns Don't Kill people - People Kill People'and expressing your opinions, the wonderful thing about America is everyone has the right to express theirs.

I understand your reluctance to have guns, I don't like them either , if it was up to me we all beat our guns into ploughshares. However we don't live in an ideal world that we all envision. I also understand that most Europeans envision a very civilized world in which citizens are not allowed to have guns and the death penalty is a thing of the past.

In your country Spain the ETA Bazque liberation members don't abide by your laws and freely kill innocent people to achieve their political aim. "When guns are outlawed, only outlaws carry guns." Somehow, I don't find this a comforting thought.

Historically the Europeans reluctance to carry or use arms goes way back, However I feel we are lucky that the Americans jealously protect their hard earned freedoms and right to self defense .

I also understand your concern about guns falling in the hands of children, I think that the keys here is education, my father kept a gun under mattress to protect us from those that would do us harm, yet I never thought about using it to play Cowboys and Indians, neither did I ever steal the car keys and take the car, which in the hand of a child could be as deadly as a gun, yet we would never think to outlaw a car.

Have you ever thought that perhaps if the Americans were as reluctant to have guns and use them when necessary you would be goose stepping and a card carrying member of the Nazi party, and not by choice ! It is a well documented historical fact that Americans guns rescued the European people from a certain Nazi European onslaught and European domination by a totalitarian ideology bent on world domination.

I appreciate your comment on my article, but at the same time I can only express the desire for the highest and most lofty of all humans desires, that is to control your own destiny and to protect our lives and our loves ones from those that wish us harm.