Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/105808
6A Daily News – Saturday, January 26, 2013 Opinion DAILY NEWS RED BLUFF TEHAMA COUNTY T H E V O I C E O F T E H A M A C O U NTY S I N C E 1 8 8 5 Greg Stevens, Publisher gstevens@redbluffdailynews.com Chip Thompson, Editor editor@redbluffdailynews.com Editorial policy The Daily News opinion is expressed in the editorial. The opinions expressed in columns, letters and cartoons are those of the authors and artists. Letter policy The Daily News welcomes letters from its readers on timely topics of public interest. All letters must be signed and provide the writer's home street address and home phone number. Anonymous letters, open letters to others, pen names and petition-style letters will not be allowed. Letters should be typed and cannot exceed two double-spaced pages or 500 words. When several letters address the same issue, a cross section of those submitted will be considered for publication. Letters will be edited. Letters are published at the discretion of the editor. 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How to reach us Main office: 527-2151 Classified: 527-2151 Circulation: 527-2151 News tips: 527-2153 Sports: 527-2153 Obituaries: 527-2151 Photo: 527-2153 On the Web www.redbluffdailynews.com Fax Newsroom: 527-9251 Classified: 527-5774 Retail Adv.: 527-5774 Legal Adv.: 527-5774 Business Office: 527-3719 Address 545 Diamond Ave. Red Bluff, CA 96080, or P.O. Box 220 Red Bluff, CA 96080 Protect, not punish law-abiding gun owners A few weeks ago, a newspaper in Westchester County, New York, published an online database listing the names and addresses of 44,000 citizens holding gun permits. The paper rationalized its action as defending the public's right to know. But a right to know what? And at what cost to the personal safety and liberty of lawabiding citizens? While what the newspaper did was not illegal, it generated widespread condemnation from Americans concerned about privacy rights. I agree that making such information widespread to the public unintentionally benefited criminals who can read the newspaper and use the internet to better target their next victims. In fact, the newspaper's release of this information may have led to at least one attempted burglary of an elderly man's gun safe. While the burglars failed to steal his weapons, it highlighted the problem of making such information public. Giving thugs useful infor- mation of who has – and by extension who does not – have guns is the last thing we need at a time when many families feel unsafe in their own homes. It also puts victims of stalking, hate crimes, and domestic violence at increased risk from retribution from their perpetrators. If their assailants knew whether they had a gun and where they now live, it could be a recipe for more trouble. If the names and addresses of judges and peace officers who carry concealed weapons are shielded from public view, then all law-abiding permit holders deserve this same protection. Their information should not be as accessible on public online databases like those we maintain for sex offenders. That is why I have authored Assembly Bill 134 to protect the privacy of citizens who apply for and carry concealed weapons permits. This legislation would bar government from publicly releasing personal information. Law enforcement and the courts would that a similar situation that happened in New York will still have the access they not happen here. need to carry out their I will work hard with duties and put those who Democrats and Repubbreak the law behind licans alike to pass this bars. common-sense measure As a strong supporter as it works its way of the U.S. Constitution, through the legislative I do not believe we process this year. This should compromise bill not only affords some rights to protect important protections to others. No one's safety responsible gun owners, should be jeopardized but also serves to projust to score cheap polititect our neighbors, who cal points for an antiDan might become targets of Second Amendment crime based upon the agenda. While we must assumption that their find ways to reduce viohomes are unprotected. lence and do more to We simply do not need to make keep guns out of the hands of criminals and the mentally ill, no one the lives of criminals easier by should be able to tar and feather doing their dirty work for them. law-abiding gun owners for exer- The Legislature and Governor need to enact AB 134 before it is cising their constitutional rights. AB 134 strikes the right balance too late. between protecting the Second Assemblyman Dan Logue Amendment and maintaining the represents the 3rd Assembly access that law enforcement needs to keep us safe. It would ensure District in the California Legislature. Logue Your officials STATE ASSEMBLYMAN — Dan Logue, 1550 Humboldt Road, Ste. 4, Chico, CA 95928, 530-895-4217 STATE SENATOR — Jim Nielsen, 280 Hemsted Dr., Ste. 110, Redding, CA 96002, 530223-6300, Fax: 530-223-6737, senator.nielsen@senate.ca.gov GOVERNOR — Jerry Brown, State Capitol Bldg., Sacramento, CA 95814; (916) 445-2841; Fax (916) 5583160; E-mail: governor@governor.ca.gov. U.S. REPRESENTATIVE — Doug LaMalfa 506 Cannon House Office Building, Washington, DC 20515, 202-2253076. U.S. SENATORS — Dianne Feinstein (D), One Post Street, Suite 2450, San Francisco, CA 94104; (415) 393-0707. Fax (415) 3930710. Barbara Boxer (D), 1700 Montgomery St., Suite 240, San Francisco, CA 94111; (510) 286-8537. Fax (202) 224-0454. Commentary Finding a new tone about Newtown This is the final in a threepart series. This is the third part in a series about my concern that the reactions to the Newtown slayings have made it difficult for us to consider the causes of that slaughter and the possible options for preventing future mass shootings. My concern is that we need to go beyond all the posturing and look at the issues, not jump on one bandwagon or the other, but reflect and work together to create a reasonable and effective response. Do guns or people kill people? The NRA has said one thing very clearly over and over again, and it is actually true: it is people who kill people. Some people use guns to kill, however. Restricting the availability of weapons that can cause multiple deaths may be wise, but it is not "wise" people who are doing the shooting. Much has been said about the need for increased mental health services in our country, services that might have a preventive impact on potential killers. As a board member of the Family Service Agency and a former school principal, I can attest to that need for more mental health services in our own community. The crime blotter on page three of the Daily News also attests to this need. Some mental health specialists have said that we just cannot throw money at mental health problems, and that we need to target whatever it is we are trying to do. Some have suggested strengthening family awareness so that families can be the first responder when a family member shows signs of problems. There have been suggestions about the violence in the news and computer games that desensitizes many. Drugs and alcohol are also prominent problems. If we are serious about improving mental health support, the resources that will be required and what is actually possible to accomplish will have to be explored very carefully; whether or not the taxpayers will be willing to foot the bill for expanded services is another complicated issue. California's public schools have only one counselor per 810 students, at last count three years ago. The ratio is probably higher today. A mass infusion of new counselors is not a quick solution, nor would be the rapid expansion of mental health services. This is not a matter of tossing resources against the wall to see what sticks. Marco Rubio, the Senator elect from Florida, has proposed a national registry of mentally ill people. Others have chimed in with different kinds of lists and classifications. Some have warned against another McCarthy era, with "mental health" taking the place of communism. Some have claimed that stressing mental health as a serious societal problem will deter people from seeking needed help because they will have a stigma attached to their names. I think of the Shasta County Tea Party folks who attended a local public meeting and reminded officials that they had guns. Homeland Security concerns aside, some might wonder about the mental status of folks who make such public pronouncements. Placing them on a list would not be very easy, however, nor would mandating counseling. Determining who is fit to firearms in the United States. own guns and what kind of guns We lead the world in per capita they should be allowed to own is possession of firearms; second not a simple matter. It is not only is Serbia with a per capita rate politically volatile and divisive, of about half of ours. Serbia, of but it is also a very important course, was the scene of recent task, not to be undertaken light- civil strife. The problem of guns and ly. The current atmosphere of rock throwing, rant, and buf- violence is much like the probfoonery will not produce the lem of immigration; we have an estimated 12 milsolutions we need. lion undocumented Where do we go residents in the Unitfrom here? ed States. Any soluIn some ways the tion to immigration guns/violence problem concerns has to is analogous the probinclude what to do lem of assuring we have with those 12 million qualified drivers behind people. Similarly the wheels of our 254 any solution to the million automobiles and relationship between the handlebars of our 8 people, guns, and million motorcycles. violence, has to There are age requireJoe include how to deal ments, training stanwith the millions of dards, and drivers' tests guns already residneeded to obtain a driing here. ver's license; there are If we are serious behavior requirements to keep the privilege of driving. about preventing more NewThere are insurance require- town-like incidents, we will ments as well. Whether or not need to look openly and honthose pre-requisites for driving estly at the complex issues or the threat of license removal involved. It will not take shouthas curbed driving under the ing, pointing fingers, and labelinfluence or poor driving is ing "opposition" positions with subject to debate. More than epithets. Knee jerk reactions, 31,000 people were killed in labeling, and finger pointing automobile accidents in 2010; are not appropriate. Discusover 10,000 people were killed sion, open forums, and calm in DUI incidents in the United minds are important. There is States in the same year. DUI an old Chinese proverb: There deaths have been cut by over 30 are three truths: my truth, your percent since the federal focus truth and the truth. I think the on reducing DUI's began in Chinese are saying it will take all of us working together to 1991, however. In 2011 there were over find that truth. 12,600 murders in the United Joe Harrop is a retired States according to the FBI; over 8,500 of those were by educator with more than 30 guns. By most counts there are years of service to the North between 270 million and 300 State. He can be reached at million privately owned DrJoeHarrop@sbcglobal.net. Harrop