The shootings at and near Toronto schools yesterday were dreadful.
The mess created by carelessly disposed of coffee cups is disgusting.
A ban by Toronto of handguns and coffee cups is nothing more than political posturing.
I am a city mouse -- I do not understand the thrill of guns -- I do not think the ownership of a gun is a right any more than the entitlement to drive a big rig tractor is a right. But I understand that big trucks and guns are tools and things which, properly regulated, are part of human society. How many gun crimes came out of the Union Station gun club? (answer -- none).
As for banning handguns, well, I would be amazed if the guns used in yesterday's shootings were registered and legal. A ban in the United Kingdom has not had any appreciable impact at all. Putting a city ban on an activity already grossly illegal is nothing more than posturing. (Ignoring whether the City has the constitutional power to enact what would seem to be a criminal regulation). The way to deal with handguns is to (1) ensure the border is as tightly controlled as possible (probably impossible with the US but at least a goal), (2) ensure legal handgun ownership is closely regulated (already done) and (3) ensure proper punishments exist for gun crime (done and being done).
Banning something that is going to happen anyway is not a solution that works -- look at King Canute -- ordering the tide to stop did very little but get Canute wet.
But as for coffee cups a ban might have a real -- and bad -- impact.
Coffee drinkers are not, as a group, outlaws. If a ban is put on coffee cups you will not see coffee cup gangs springing up smuggling cups into Toronto from Pickering. What you will see if hundreds of small businesses, often run by hard working new Canadians, fail with thousands of employees thrown out of work.
Maybe a better idea is for the City to put up a few more garbage cans? Perhaps they can encourage people to dispose of used coffee cups in the garbage cans -- maybe an ad campaign could also suggest illegal guns be disposed of there too???
2 comments:
I agree with your opinion. Banning guns won't help the situation. Something needs to be done about the gang problem first. How about banning murder?
Excellent post. I totally agree. Unfortunately every time we hear about another incident in Toronto, it's always the "same old, same old" from both sides of the gun ban issue.
Lots of political posturing, as you say, and little action.
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