Kendrick Wilson

The issue of gun violence seems to have been forgotten, for the most part, following Sept. 11. Sadly, Tucsonans were given a terrible wake-up call Monday afternoon, when John Paul Brown opened fire in a northwest-Tucson Denny's, killing Esperanza Hernandez, who was 14 weeks pregnant, and injuring Robert Fisher, a 67-year-old Sierra Vista man. Brown did not know either of his victims and claims he wanted to take hostages in order to get a confiscated child pornography tape back from authorities. Terrorism has understandably consumed our national attention, but as evidenced by this dreadful murder, gun violence has not gone away.

The traditional debate that would generally follow such a tragedy would be whether to execute this man, if convicted, or to take guns off the streets. Why not do both? See, liberals can be tough on crime too.

Brown is clearly dangerous and should never be allowed to return to the streets. He should be punished, but that won't solve the problem of gun violence in our community. Brown was well aware that the death penalty was currently in use in Arizona, and he understood that he could face the rest of his life behind bars. Neither of these prospects deterred him. Some people may be deterred by the prospect of punishment, but not the sick people who commit crimes like we saw on Monday.

I know that once I start advocating gun control, about 10 conservatives will stand up and say in unison, "Guns don't kill, people do." But, to quote Molly Ivins, political columnist par excellence, "The last time I tried pointing my finger at someone and yelling 'bang,' nothing much happened." Forgive me for having never heard of a drive-by punching and for finding it extremely hard to believe that these innocent people at Denny's would have been beaten to death quite as easily as they were shot.

Gun control won't stop crime. There is no way I, or anyone else for that matter, could know if background checks, licensing, or bans on guns could have prevented this horrible murder. They may not have, but statistically they do reduce violent crime. Sorry pro-gun activists, but according to a study by Johns Hopkins University, a 1988 law in Maryland banning "Saturday Night Special" handguns was followed by a 9 percent drop in violent crime, which carried through the following 10 years. That translates to 40 lives saved each year from 1988 to 1998.

Tucson currently averages more than one murder every week, the majority of which involve firearms. Nationwide, murders by firearms are reaching unthinkable rates. In 1994, more than 38,000 Americans were killed by firearms. In 1996, more than 9,000 were killed by handguns alone! According to the National Center for Injury Prevention, if current trends continue, by 2003, the number of firearm-related injuries will surpass the number of injuries caused by automobile crashes.

It seems that once the gun debate gets started, it becomes clear that nearly every liberal interprets the Second Amendment to mean a well-organized militia, and nearly every conservative takes it to mean three guys in the back of a Dodge Durango.

Criminal background checks are currently required at gun stores. Gun shows, some of which take place at the publicly owned Tucson Convention Center, have miraculously found a way around this requirement. Kajornsak Prasertphong, one of the convicted murderers in the 1999 Pizza Hut triple-murder on Tucson's east side, purchased the guns he used at a TCC gun show. His previous criminal record would have prevented him from passing a background check. The Pizza Hut murders may have taken place anyway, but not as easily.

Safety requirements in the manufacturing of guns are also excruciatingly lax. There are currently more safety regulations in the manufacture of a toy Uzi than a real Uzi! We require aspirin bottles to be childproof but not guns. It sure seems like twisted priorities.

I'm tired of seeing a new murder every time I turn on a local TV station. New gun laws won't bring crime to a screeching halt, and anyone who expects that stands to be disappointed. But, bans on "Saturday Night Special" handguns made a difference in Maryland, and bans on assault rifles made a difference in California.

Progress comes in small increments, and it's time Tucson starts moving. Hopefully it won't take another appalling crime to keep the important issue of gun violence in the front of people's minds.