A gun does not, by itself, kill, but it is deadlier in the wrong hands. If a gun isn't available, Erickson says, a violent kid will find another means. Erickson expects educated people to believe a kitchen knife has the same potential as a gun. The little girl in Michigan would have been able to run away from a knife. The individual who allowed the boy access to the gun should be held responsible, and we ought to hold ourselves responsible for easy availability to these deadly weapons.
Nobody hunts with a handgun.
We ought to demand responsibility from our citizenry who own handguns. We ought to demand common sense gun control like President Clinton, Vice President Al Gore, Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack and now even some enlightened Republicans are calling for, such as the use of smart gun technology, trigger locks and background checks at gun shows. Copyright 2000 by the Iowa State Daily Publications Board. All rights reserved. No redistribution without the express written consent of the Iowa State Daily Editor in Chief.