From: ge@mcnc.org (George Entenman)
Subject: Re: Gun control and abortion - with a little different 'twist'
Organization: MCNC Center for Microelectronics, RTP, NC
Date: Fri, 6 Nov 1992 16:13:37 GMT

>In article <sasrer.721022999@cinnamon> sasrer@unx.sas.com (Rodney Radford) writes:
>>How can people on one hand say that a 24-hour waiting for the purchase of
>>guns is a 'good thing', and that is not an "infringement on the right...",
>>but at the same time state (very strongly) that a 24-hour waiting period
>>on women seeking an abortion is an infringement on their right of choice.
>>In neither case is the person stopped from what they were planning on doing,
>>but it is just recommended that they think about it for 24-hours. 

In articles <1992Oct22.143719.5031@dg-rtp.dg.com> George Entenman writes

>Two things come to mind:

>1) First, I believe that many people who oppose a 24-hour waiting period
	for women seeking an abortion would dispute your claim that a
	24-hour waiting period would not stop a woman from having an
	abortion.  I believe that such a waiting period would stop many
	women because clinics and hospitals that perform abortion are
	not within easy reach of many women (because of Pro-Life
	protesters mainly); many women cannot afford to stay away from
	home and work for two days.   It is a *lot* easier to get a gun
	than to get an abortion.

I hate to mention abortion since I believe it's none of my (male) business,
but I do not think it is necessarily easier to LEGALLY obtain a firearm,
particularly handguns, than it is to LEGALLY obtain an abortion, especially
in large metropolitan areas such as NY or Chicago.  Waiting periods/effective
bannings/outright illegalization are, for both arms and abortions, someone
else forcing their own opinions into your personal business.  When I was living
in Carteret county, and went as required to the Sheriff's office for a 
handgun purchase permit, I had to take leave from work, drive 24 miles, pick
up application paperwork, have been a resident of the county for > 1 year,
obtain signatures of 4 other > 1 year county residents attesting to my good
character, take leave from work and drive 24 miles to return the paperwork
and sit for an interview with the Sheriff (sorry, he's not here and no one
else is allowed), drive back to work, take more leave another day and drive
back to find the Sheriff once more not there (sorry, he's a busy man and, no,
he doesn't schedule appointments), and repeat once more before finally catching
him.

>2) The second thing that comes to mind is the fact that ALL women have
	the right to abortion, but not all people have the right to buy
	guns.  The purpose of the waiting period in the Brady bill is to
	determine a person's eligibility (criminal record).  The Brady
	bill specifically does NOT apply to states like Virginia, where
	the information is available on-line for immediate access (at
	least, that's what Bill Clinton said during one of the debates,
	as I recall).

As originally written, and supported by Handgun Control, Inc. (HCI), the 
Brady Bill DID NOT require a background check of any kind, DID NOT initiate
the 7 day waiting period until receipt of the purchase request was acknow-
ledged by the responsible police authority, DID NOT require said responsible
police authority to ever acknowledge receipt, DID NOT provide a means of 
tracing receipt/non-receipt, and DID NOT provide a means of appeal in the event
the purchase request was denied by the police authority.  Before dying a 
well-deserved death in the past session of Congress, the bill was amended
to address some of these areas.  These amendments were all opposed by HCI.
One amendment would have made the waiting period valid only until the instant
check system (previously endorsed in '91 by the National Rifle Association and
known as the Staggers' Bill, thoroughly opposed by HCI) was implemented and 
operational, but provided no means by which implementation of the instant check
system could ever be funded or the necessary information collected.  No funding
means no system, which means 7-day waiting period until it's increased as
has been done several times in California.  Based on his prior statements and
actions, this is what President-elect Clinton supports.


>Your point is well taken: we must be extremely careful before taking away
>anyone's rights, even if "just" for 24 hours.

We must be extremely careful and NEVER take away anyone's rights, even if
"just" for 24 hours.  Those who through their actions against others have
forfeited any rights must earn their reinstatement.

John Tyner
jrtyner@eos.ncsu.edu