New Gun Laws Won't Solve the Problem of Evil

The Obama administration reportedly is planning to propose strict new gun laws in the aftermath of last month's school shooting in Newtown, Connecticut. If laws were 100 percent effective in regulating behavior, the prisons and jails would be empty and no one would exceed the speed limit. More laws will not keep those who would guns to kill or harm others from getting one or finding other means to kill. Timothy McVeigh used fertilizer, not a gun, to kill people in Oklahoma City. It is intent, not the weapon, that causes harm. Passing more gun laws may make some people feel good but it won't solve the problem. The Newtown shooter was denied a gun when he tried to buy one, so he stole his mother's legally purchased guns.

Courts have ruled that a person who exhibits mental problems cannot be detained until he has already broken the law. There's something that can be addressed, but I doubt the ACLU would go along with it.

The president is setting himself up for a major battle he is sure to lose and squandering opportunities for finding common ground in a second term.

I'm Cal Thomas.

Publication date: January 8, 2013