In City Beset By Crime, Gun Ban Raises Question Of Fairness
FUNDAMENTALLY
In A City Beset By Crime, Gun Ban Raises Question Of Fairness
IN A CITY WHERE GUNS HAVE BEEN BANISHED SINCE 1982, more than 80 people were reported shot in the last 10 days. And more than 200 have been killed so far this year.
That reality underscores the debate at the crux of gun control, which suffered a setback Monday when the U.S. Supreme Court effectively overturned Chicago's stringent handgun ban.
"Politicians are frustrated and they don't think of [the problem] logically," said Don Mastrianni, the owner of Illinois Gun Works, located just outside of Chicago. "They like to spout off about common sense. But where's the common sense when they write these regulations?
"Personally they have good intentions,'' he said.
"They’d like to do something about crime. If you find a way to sit everybody down, in this case criminals, and agree that their not going to hurt anybody, then I’m sure you can get everybody else to cooperate.”
By a 5-4 majority, the High Court reaffirmed that “self-defense is a basic right, recognized by many legal systems from ancient times to the present day.
Anticipating the court’s ruling, Mayor Richard Daley declared last week that he wouldn't back down from restricting gun ownership, which the city’s council could take up new regulation as soon as Wednesday.
But despite any new attempts at keeping guns out of Chicago residents’ hands ignores the reality of their ubiquity already.
“The criminals really don’t [abide by the law] and that’s part of the problem that they don’t address,’’ Mastrianni , 56, said of legislators.
Mastrianni's sentiments were echoed by the plaintiffs in the case against Chicago.
"I'm so happy. I'm so happy," Otis McDonald said after the ruling was announced and said it would enable law-abiding citizens to protect themselves from "drug dealers and gangbangers across the United States." He thanked the Justices “for having the courage to right a wrong, which has impacted many lives long ago and will protect lives for many years to come."
Another plaintiff, Colleen Lawson, declared the city’s “crime buffet” had been closed down.
But the ruling was troubling to Thom Mannard, Executive Director of the Illinois Council Against Handgun Violence, who predicted more gun crimes for Chicago.
"The truth is that, based on overwhelming research, allowing Chicago's residents to possess handguns will dramatically increase the risk of gun suicides, students gaining access to handguns and likely carrying them to school, and certainly unintentional shootings by toddlers and children who find weapons," he wrote.
