Pubdate: Sun, 21 Oct 2007
Source: Asheville Citizen-Times (NC)
Copyright: 2007 Asheville Citizen-Times
Contact:  http://www.citizen-times.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/863
Author: John Chase

GUNS AND DRUGS HAVE ONE IMPORTANT THING IN COMMON

Regarding Pat Orsban's guest commentary, "Banning firearms would not 
improve our safety," (AC-T, Oct. 9).

For years I've known that increasing the penalties against illegal drugs 
causes only the casual users to quit, but they have not been a problem 
anyhow. Drug abusers, on the contrary, will get their fix whether legal or 
not. That is why escalating penalties does almost nothing to reduce drug 
abuse. It just increases the profit of the illegal market and draws in more 
violent men who disrespect authority.

Similarly, those who would turn in their guns voluntarily would never be a 
problem to society. Violent men, disrespectful of authority, will get guns 
whether legal or not. Back in the 1980s I sent money to Handgun Control, 
but not now, and I don't know why it took me so long to figure that out.

John Chase, Palm Harbor, Fla.
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