Richmond, CA trying to stop the violence

On our local radio and TV stations today there is much concern that the youth in Richmond, CA are killing each other and some of the killings are revenge killings. Many in the community have lost a loved one through violence. The local community and non-profits are going to set up a Tent city in local parks to try to draw the youth to speak to leaders and camp out in the park in an attempt to stop the violence. Some in the local community say that the kids hang around corners with nothing to do. They propose using the community resources to help with this problem like more programs of out reach, keeping Recreation Dept. facilities open longer for the youth to have a place to go and let off some steam and get some exercise and structure in their lives.

All these are good things. It takes me back to my youth in the 1950's where the same problem existed in the Boston area and my local neighborhood and probably most cities in the country. But back then we didn't have the killings. Oh there were the fights between groups of different neighborhoods. There was the picking on the weakest and picking on those of different cultures than there own and picking on people of color. But there weren't many killings. Some yes, but only a few.

The reason was that guns were not available and as prolific as they are now. Kids of my youth would fight mano a mano. No guns, just fists. The worst it ever got was using chains and blocks of wood to use as a club. I have been listening to the latest discussions about the Republican candidates for President visiting the NRA (National Rifle Association) like former NY Mayor Rudy G. He was in favor of gun controls when he was Mayor, as he wanted to reduce crime. Now he says he can see that we have the right to bear arms and he supports the Constitution.

Well I'm sorry. If a government takes the responsibility seriously to protect and defend the population as Bush has done to suspend some of our rights under the Constitution because he says he is trying to keep us safe from terrorists, then doesn't it make sense to use the same argument to save the lives of innocent people by taking away or suspending their right to bear arms. And besides, these individuals are most likely violating the law by having illegal weapons. Doesn't a government have the right and the duty to protect the society using the same reasoning it uses during this "War on Terror" by seizing Weapons of Individual Destruction for all in hopes of preventing a few murders? I think it does and if you follow the logic, you will see it does too.

We need to wake up as a society and consider the Constitution as applied to the 21st Century. The right to bear arms should be conditional in a society. When a society isn't watching or parenting its youth in a proper manner then that society deserves to loose some of its rights. Heck, anyone can be wiretapped now. That's right those law-abiding citizens, as well as those suspected of no good are treated the same, aren't they. It's time for a ban on guns! People should be allowed rifles for hunting, but guns should be banned! They should have a period of time where anyone can turn in their guns and get some dollar amount for doing it. We should change the laws and increase enforcement. There I've said it!