THOMAS MANNARD ON GUN DESIGN

Josey1

THOMAS MANNARD ON GUN DESIGN February 22, 2002 - by John Birch, Concealed Carry I bet you thought the Illinois Council Against Handgun Violence just wanted to take your guns away? I did too. But they have another side to them. Their Executive Director, Thomas Mannard, seems to be a gunsmith and maybe even a full fledged engineer. Yep...he's spec'd out a wonder gun, the Mannard Gun, and he's trying to get a law passed to force us to use his design. Mr. Mannard starts by proposing all guns meet federal health and safety standards. Who could object to that? The gun could have safety placards all over it, dual redundant trigger locks, bio-retinal scanning technology to ensure only the duly registered owner uses the duly registered gun and of course an EPA approved exhaust system with catalytic converter. Figure this gun would weigh in near a ton and could be produced on a mass scale for perhaps $100,000 each. Never mind guns have been built in the USA for over 200 years without need for federal health and safety oversight and never mind how many gun manufacturers will be forced out of business to build the federally approved Mannard Gun. It if puts 1,000's of families out of work and millions more at risk, but it saves one child's life, it's worth it. Next he proposes a base line trigger pull so children couldn't pull the trigger so easily. I bet all you competitive shooters out there will love that! I suggest hangin a 16 pound bowling ball from the trigger as the trigger pull standard. The Mannard Gun will also have a load indicator. I'm sure the children will know what that is! Of course adults assume all guns are loaded, at least in the homes of gun owners I know. Looks like this is just a frill, but why not require it so the small gun manufacture will suffer the penalty of huge retooling costs? Finally, what good would the Mannard Gun be without testing? Mr. Mannard proposes that all guns be dropped from five feet to see if they will go off. A drop test. I don't know about you, but I think Mr. Mannard has been watching too many Three Stooges movies. Guns don't just go off by being dropped. But why go with facts when myths are so much better? What I think really happened is here is that when Mr. Mannard was born the doctor drop tested him on his head. On the soft spot. Okay, that was a cheap shot, but I couldn't resist Mr. Mannard's opening. He makes a great straight man. Constructively I offer the following: First, anyone from the ICHV that wants to attend our meeting tomorrow is welcome. And I mean welcome wholeheartedly. Meet us, have a beer, etc. Second, I think it's fair to guess that Mr. Mannard has never fired a gun in his life. Much of what he writes has to do emotional response to tragedy with no real world experience to counter his natural human reaction. Accordingly Concealed Carry, Inc. will fund a shoot for the ICHV and provide guns, ammo and instructors. We will try to take the myth out of guns and open a dialogue. Third, we will graciously accept any invitation to meet with the ICHV formally or informally that they may wish to extend. There is no 100% solution to accidental shooting of children or anyone else just as there is no way to prevent all automobile accidents. But we could start with politically neutral gun safety training in the Chicago schools. Education, not legislation, saves lives. What do you say Mr. Mannard? May I suggest for now letters to the editor at the SunTimes? mailto:letters@suntimes.com. CONCEALED CARRY, INC. MEETING HIGH NOON, SATURDAY, 23 FEB 2002 IN OAK BROOK. ALL INVITED. NO CHARGE. RSVP: mailto:john@concealcarry.org Same rules for gunsSunTimes Letter to the EditorIn one week, two Chicago children were victims of accidental shootings [news story, Feb. 13]. Although we may never be able to prevent every accidental shooting, some simple steps could be taken to reduce these types of tragedies, particularly with children.The Firearms Safety and Consumer Protection Act (H671 & S330) pending in Congress would ensure that firearms are subject to the same basic federal health and safety standards that other consumer products must meet. At a time when almost every consumer product sold in stores, including toy guns, are regulated for minimum health and safety standards, it is simply unconscionable that one of our most deadly consumer products continues to be exempt.The Illinois Council Against Handgun Violence believes the Firearm Safety and Consumer Protection Act can reduce the risk of accidental shootings. It would require a baseline level of pounds of pressure for a trigger to be pulled successfully. This could help reduce the number of children who accidentally hurt or kill themselves when they come across a gun in their homes, in their friend's home or in an alley. It also would require drop tests. Gun manufacturers would be required to test loaded firearms to test the likelihood of a gun firing when dropped from a height of 5 feet or less. This could help prevent countless deaths and injuries from firearms that are accidentally dropped and then discharge. Other regulations such as mandating load indicators for guns to let people know if there is a bullet in the chamber could also be enacted under this legislation. The technology exists for gun manufacturers to implement these simple measures. For these reasons and others, ICHV thinks the Firearms Safety and Consumer Protection Act will not only protect gun consumers, but also the children, who are far too often the victims of accidental shootings.Thomas Mannard, executive director,Illinois Council Against Handgun Violence Shooting down an adSunTimes Letter to the EditorRep. Rod Blagojevich's television campaign ad is hypocritical. He talks about his father being imprisoned by the Nazis during World War II. He continues to tell us he wants to preserve the American way of life. The Nazis under the direction of Adolf Hitler went from house to house to take firearms away from private citizens. Blagojevich is obsessed with strict and unreasonable gun control. The founding fathers gave Americans the right to keep and bear arms in the Second Amendment. Our founding fathers believed that self-protection came second only to freedom of speech and the pursuit of life, liberty and happiness. Blagojevich says he is for the American way. I think he should be honest and say: "I am for the American way, except for the Second Amendment.'' Owning firearms is a choice, not a requirement. Those who choose not to own a gun to protect their families and themselves can rely on the police to arrive before it is too late. I like having some additional options. My pistol will operate regardless of where I am. I wish my cellular telephone were that reliable. Thirty-three states issue some sort of gun carry permit; many allow you to carry one concealed. Only after an extensive background check and training are you allowed this privilege. When Election Day arrives, please think about another day when you could become the victim of a violent crime. Even if you choose not to arm yourself, wouldn't it be of some comfort to know another concerned citizen might come to your rescue? I know I would if I could. John R. Jacobson, NorthbrookHome confinement for woman with gunPublished February 22, 2002FEDERAL COURT -- A Dolton woman who was caught by security officers trying to bring a loaded gun into the Dirksen Federal Building was sentenced Thursday to 4 months of home confinement and 3 years of probation.Ruth Austin, 53, said she had mistakenly left the gun in her purse in June 2000 when she went to the courthouse to attend a Bankruptcy Court hearing on the foreclosure of her home. "I never had any intent to hurt anyone," Austin told U.S. District Judge Harry Leinenweber, who imposed the sentence. She was also fined $2,500. A court security officer spotted Austin's .38-caliber revolver as her handbag passed through an X-ray machine in the courthouse lobby, said Assistant U.S. Atty. Stuart Chanen. JOHN: I feel safer already. http://www.friendsofliberty.com/concealedcarry/2002/022202.htm