I don’t really understand what the big deal is about gun registration or gun fingerprinting. Why is it wrong to be able to match any bullet to the rifle that it was fired from? Why is it wrong for the government to know who owns firearms? If firearms were registered and “fingerprinted,” then the job of law enforcement officers in Maryland would be thousands of times easier. In fact, they would probably have had that murderer in custody within days of the first killing spree.

Now, I am not suggesting more gun control laws — there are already too many laws on the books that are barely enforced for that, I am merely suggesting that some sort of national database should be set up with information on every weapon sold in the United States. If such a database existed, firearms used in crimes can be tracked down far quicker than they are now. I don’t see how such a database would limit ownership of firearms, it would just make the owners more responsible for their firearms.

I own a rifle and I don’t care who knows about it, because I only use it for target shooting and the occasional hunting expedition. Nuts like the guy in Maryland give people like me a bad name and it makes me angry. I would gladly register my rifle with the government if it meant that mad men like the lunatic in Maryland would not be able to get away with mass murder.

Chad Hayward

Junior

Chemistry