More guns will mean less shooting

Bill Miller, Las Vegas

Friday, July 27, 2012 | 2 a.m.

The recent shooting at a cineplex in Aurora, Colo., which killed 12 and wounded 59, should not be an excuse for pushing gun control measures.

Gun control advocates always make the justification that with 250 million-plus guns available, reducing the number or making them more difficult to obtain would mean a reduction in tragedies like those in Aurora, Columbine, Virginia Tech andelsewhere.

The opposite is true because it takes away the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens to have guns to protect themselves and/or hunt, which are legitimate purposes. When law-abiding citizens have guns to protect themselves, such as in many cases locally where burglars have been trying to break into their homes, it gives innocent people power to fend off crime. It’s also a deterrent.

Gun control advocates also have to keep in mind that just because tighter gun rules are in place, doesn’t mean tragedies won’t occur. Individuals will always find a manner to acquire them, and other weapons could be substituted, as well. Gun control advocates need to realize that guns don’t kill, but people do, and tightening rules on acquiring weapons won’t be the answer to this. Instead, other facts should be looked at. My heart still goes out to those victims of tragedies such as this.