Letter to Editor: What is really causing all of the gun violence in Chicago?

Last week we published on the North Dallas Gazette website the story Gun violence claims the lives of Chicago mom’s 4 children and the comment below was received.

“First of all, my condolences to the family because I too know first hand the deep pain that one goes through when they lose someone close to them, as a result of a gun homicide. In 2004, I lost my best friend to an unfortunate drug-related shooting by an illegally obtained firearm.

I would ask that you look at the facts though rather than being clouted by the political rhetoric that we have seen around us as of recent. Chicago has long been known for its strict firearms laws and inability for everyday citizens to obtain handguns. You would think that with as tough of laws that they have in Chicago that they would have a seemingly effective means of controlling crime. Well that is not the truth. I would highly suspect that, just like my friend, her son was killed by an illegally obtained firearm. This can be prevented in the future.

Unfortunately, we have allowed ourselves to be spoon-fed a scapegoat to the actual deeper issue at hand. No, it isn’t firearms that we should be focusing on. With a statistic of 78% of gun homicides in this country being gang- and drug-related, we must ask ourselves how can we reduce this overwhelming figure? The issue that has been hidden from us all of this time is the stance of the US Government for allowing drugs to remain ruled by underground distribution networks. As a drug dealer, you cannot go to the police if you get robbed. Instead, the heavy burden of justice lies in the hands individuals rather than the judicial system. We see this point magnified within our cities, where drug networks and gangs are willing to use armed violence to sustain their industry. This point is even more exemplified if we take a look over our Southern boarder in Mexico, where cartels are literally hacking each other to pieces in order to retain power and order within the black-market.

This should not happen. We do not have this level of armed vigilantism with tobacco or pharmaceuticals because these industries are brought into a commercial and legal setting. Store owners can call the police, keep a paper record, they can legally protect themselves, and robbers aren’t as willing to rob a storefront as they are a seemingly weak drug dealer or flashy gang-member.

What is promoting this violence? It is clearly our entire positioning of keeping drugs illegal within this country in the first place. The same thing happened during alcohol prohibition, and the same thing happened in the numbers racket. We cannot arrest our way out of this problem, and we surely cannot ban our way out of this problem. This issue needs to be solved at its core, not by scapegoating a tool or an individual who is just trying to survive the trials and tribulations of life. This burden of justice was placed in their hands by a Government who had the best intentions, but could not see the downfall of their drug-prevention strategy.

I urge you guys to see this issue for what it is. If you want real change, then look at the core, not the proprietary. This does not mean we cannot enlist effect gun obtainment changes to prevent the illegal undercurrent of guns within this country. But it does mean that we cannot solve this problem without addressing America’s drug and gang problem; more importantly, our legal position creating this problem. We all have blood on our hands if we continue to dismiss the truth.

Again, my deepest condolences to the families out there effected by a gun-tragedy. But take it from an active owner and gun-enthusiast: 10-round magazines, pistol gripped long guns, and assault rifle bans will not change a thing. It doesn’t take more than 1/4 of a second to reload a weapon, and a .45 caliber handgun has more stopping power at closer ranges than even an AK-47. These bans are laughable to an experienced shooter, but it does not take away from the fact that we will just be limiting law-abiding citizens from legally possessing these items. Criminals will still have the ability to get any configuration of firearms they need, and it is just us whom are left at the disadvantage.

Again, my deepest condolences to the family effected by this tragedy; but do not let the political parties sway you from the facts. They are not proposing viable solutions or are even willing to address the issues at their core. They are not experts or God’s gift to saving our youth.

We must take responsibility for ourselves and each other.”

James via our website at https://northdallasgazette.com/2013/01/30/gun-violence-claims-the-lives-of-chicagos-mom-4-children/