By Jane Weiss / Herald Forum
In response to Todd Welch’s recent column (“State’s gun permit law harms rights, public safety,” The Herald, April 30) I would like to ask the author, how many lives are worth saving?
Every life is worth saving; for our families, friends, and communities.
The Herald’s recent editorial (“Adopt permit-to-purchase law to cut gun deaths,” The Herald, March 20) supported adopting this law, House Bill 1163, to cut deaths in Washington State stating, “In a state where in 2019 there were 637 firearm deaths, including 38 children and teens, the delay and consideration that would have to go into a gun purchase that required training and permitting strongly argues for the legislation.” So, why shouldn’t this be the law?
If Washington had a permit-to-purchase law since 2015, our state might have had nearly 250 fewer homicides, and closer to 1,000 fewer gun suicides. (The law was passed by both chambers and is now on the governor’s desk for his signature.)
No gun law will solve all of our problems related to firearms. But, since 2014, Washington has become a leader is gun safety. By requiring a permit to purchase, gun purchasers would be required to actually know the ramifications they are accepting by purchasing this deadly weapon. Requiring a complete and rigorous training that includes the safe storage and handling of the firearm, unintentional shootings and suicide by gun will drop dramatically as these horrific incidents often happen in the 4.6 million homes that keep a loaded and unlocked firearm accessible to children. Since the rate of gun deaths in Washington has increased dramatically since 2014, gun suicide has increased in Washington dramatically as well.
Welch goes on to point out that this permit may have unintended consequences such as pushing people to obtain firearms illegally. It is the current policy that allows the traffickers and straw purchasers to take advantage of the flaws in our current system that has no permitting process. When guns are harder to access, fewer guns will end up in the hands of those who shouldn’t have them. We adults pay for the privilege of traveling freely in the U.S. by purchasing and renewing our drivers licenses after rigorous training and testing. Why should lethal firearms be any different?
The permit to purchase laws have the support of responsible gun owners and non-gun owners alike. More than 72 percent of Americans, including 62 percent of gun owners, support the ownership of guns by responsible owners who meet the permitting requirements. These laws are working well in states that have adopted them, and I see no reason why Washington shouldn’t be a safe as possible and enact this law as soon as possible.
Jane Weiss lives in Snohomish.
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