Recently we have seen a terrible tragedy in Colorado.  Two teenage boys terrorized their high school, killing and maiming students and teachers.  The "if it bleeds it leads" media is having a field day, and it did not take long for politicians to try to use this disaster to advance their own agendas.  Everything from prayer in school to uniforms to more restrictions on guns is being touted as a solution to the problem of violence in schools.

I have my own opinions one of which is actually informed.  Many of the things being said, from luminaries like Dr Laura Schlessinger and Rosie O'Donnell, are outright lies.  Heard are such things as "there is more access to firearms now than when I was young" and "all gun owners should go to jail."

Various sources cite 20,000 to 35,000 gun laws nationwide at the federal, state and local level.  If violence with firearms has increased, logic tells me that additional laws will not diminish it.

Fully automatic firearms; machine guns, submachine guns, assault rifles; and short barreled rifles and shotguns have been heavily (read taxed) regulated by the federal government since 1934.  It had been legal for ordinary citizens to order firearms through the mail until 1968.  In 1993 the Brady Act was passed which mandated 5 day waiting periods until it was replaced by the National Instant Check.  In 1994 as part of the Omnibus Crime Bill a ban on the manufacture of assault rifles was enacted.  This ban affected semi-automatic (not true machine guns) firearms, 18 by name and almost 200 by features.  These features included A. detachable magazine and any two of B. pistol grip, folding or collapsing stock, flash supressor, bayonet lug...  I like to call this the Chinese menu ie. one from column A, two from column B.

Recent reforms in concealed carry laws, at the state level have demonstrably been shown to decrease violent crime rates.

In the rush to DO SOMETHING, our representatives will pass ill conceived legislation which will only affect the law abiding.  When these prove ineffective, their proponents will stridently call for more.  I do not trust one who is only calling for 'modest gun control' when he has stood for draconian gun legislation his whole career.

The thing I would most like people to remember is a maxim all lawyers should be familiar with, "hard cases make bad law."

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