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Make law a deterrent

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Since the recent rash of shootings in Toronto, Ontario newspapers have given extensive daily coverage to the suggestions, from various authorities, for methods of dealing with the increasing incidence of street violence.

On Aug. 16, it was reported that Toronto Mayor David Miller sees no reason why anyone in urban areas should own firearms. Therefore, he wishes to determine whether his municipality has the legal authority to prohibit owners from keeping even properly registered guns in their homes. His idea is that there should be a central facility where all such firearms must be stored -- at the owners' expense, of course.

This is very disturbing concept, for several reasons.

In the first place, it seems to arise from a somewhat bizarre philosophy that when one person commits a crime, everyone must be punished.

Secondly, it would simply place a whole arsenal of weapons at a known site, thus making it easy for criminals to conduct theft on a large scale.

Finally, if the City of Toronto is permitted to pass such a draconian law, the idea will be adopted and vocally promoted by the anti-gun lobby, and will then inevitably spread nation-wide.

We in rural Saskatchewan would look pretty silly if we had to drive 20 or 30 miles to a central depot to retrieve a gun in order to deal with a skunk in the yard or a coyote bothering the cattle.

No doubt it would also be necessary to fill out a form giving a valid reason for requiring the gun before receiving permission to take it home, by which time the skunk would have bitten the children or the coyote have mauled the calves.

The whole idea is farcical at best, and, at worst, conjures up alarming auguries of a fascist state.

According to another report, the head of the city's police task force on firearms is of the opinion that if people did not own guns, those weapons could not be stolen and used for criminal purposes.

This is an absolutely amazing piece of sophistry. To apply the same argument to other scenarios, there would be no stolen vehicles used in crime if people did not own cars; if nobody owned computers, television sets, jewellery or other valuables, such items could not be stolen and fenced for drug money; if pharmacies did not sell cold remedies, those medicines could not be used in the production of crystal meth.

How has our society arrived at the position whereby the victim is always at fault, but the criminal is treated with every deference to his rights?

Then there has been the whining from those who think that trying to control violent youngsters does not work. They want governments to fund more after-school programs in at-risk communities, so that young people do not get involved in gangs.

When my generation was young, we were discouraged from undesirable activities by something called discipline, both at home and at school.

In my family, this was ably administered by our mother by means of the application of the back of a wooden hairbrush to the rear of one's anatomy. It was remarkably effective in teaching us that there were unpleasant consequences to anti-social behaviour. We learned at an early age that life was much simpler if we were obedient and well-mannered.

Unfortunately, our society has become so brainwashed by liberal psychology that parents and teachers alike are reluctant to discipline children for fear that they will be accused of child abuse.

What everyone seems to have forgotten is that there is a world of difference between the salutary swift swat and real abuse.

There would be no need for all these words of wisdom from Toronto's mayor, police and community workers, if our justice system had some teeth.

The law already prescribes stiff penalties for the use of firearms in the commission of a crime, but our liberal-minded judges rarely impose such sentences.

Until this attitude changes, there is nothing to deter anyone from engaging in criminal activities, and the violence in Toronto, and other cities, will continue to escalate.

- Whitaker is an Edgeley freelance writer.