-Caveat Lector- <A HREF="http://www.ctrl.org/"> </A> -Cui Bono?- EDITORIAL • February 16, 2000 Risky gun safety The Maryland legislature will consider funding research for "smart gun" technology today. It should not bother. "Smart gun" technology is the new, sophisticated-electronic lock that promises to distinguish between authorized and unauthorized gun users. It is also the newest form of gun control. Gov. Parris Glendening is asking the legislature for $3 million over three years to pay for its development. Under his proposed legislation, the research money would be paired with a mandate that all new handguns be sold with smart locks after May 2003. Before the mandate kicks in, an 11-member commission would report to the governor on the availability of the technology. Following that, Mr. Glendening would likely implement the mandate as one of his last acts in office. Mr. Glendening thinks "smart gun" technology would save children. Certainly, saving innocent children is an admirable goal, and it is doubtful that any lawmaker would want to stop children from being saved. Consider how many children accidentally shoot themselves — or other children — in a given year. According to statistics provided by Yale Law Professor John Lott Jr., who will be testifying before the Maryland legislature today, 42 children under the age of 10 died nationwide as a result of an accidental shooting in 1996. For children under the age of 15 the nationwide number grows to 136, in 1996. In a nation of 270 million people, the number of accidental shootings seems a relatively minor risk given, say, automobile accidents. But each child's death is a tragedy. What can be done? ===> Unfortunately, the answer is not as simple as paying ===> for new technology and then mandating it. When the ===> nation faced a similar safety question with children ===> and medicine, child safety caps were mandated. It ===> turned out that many parents were lulled into a false ===> sense of security and depended on those caps to ===> keep the medicine from their children. They relaxed ===> their vigilance, and, as a result, more children were ===> poisoned than before the mandate. Similarly, some states mandated trigger locks on firearms. The General Accounting Office discovered that children older than 7 were smart enough to defeat that safety precaution — and again parents were wrong to count on on those locks for security. The lesson clearly is that adults have to be mindful of children. They must design a set of safety procedures that fit that family and that child. Those safety precautions can include gun safes, locks and "smart gun" technology, but the key ingredient remains personal responsibility. If parents do not instruct their children in the proper respect for a firearm — impressing upon children that like a car, if wielded irresponsibly, a gun can be dangerous — then more children are going to be hurt. No technology and no government check will change that. ================================================================= Kadosh, Kadosh, Kadosh, YHVH, TZEVAOT FROM THE DESK OF: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> *Mike Spitzer* <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> ~~~~~~~~ <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> The Best Way To Destroy Enemies Is To Change Them To Friends Shalom, A Salaam Aleikum, and to all, A Good Day. ================================================================= <A HREF="http://www.ctrl.org/">www.ctrl.org</A> DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion & informational exchange list. Proselytizing propagandic screeds are not allowed. Substance—not soap-boxing! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory'—with its many half-truths, misdirections and outright frauds—is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRL gives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply. Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector. ======================================================================== Archives Available at: http://home.ease.lsoft.com/archives/CTRL.html http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/ ======================================================================== To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SUBSCRIBE CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] To UNsubscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SIGNOFF CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Om
