Mr. O., let's start in Chicago

Please allow me to visit the handgun ban controversy again. It seems you can just choose any position, and there are those that will agree with you, and there are many who will disagree with  you.

Many believe we must pass laws to ban sales of all handguns, eliminate gun shows, and raise taxes on guns and ammunition to discourage the sales of guns and ammunition. Some want just assault weapons eliminated. Some even believe we should all have a weapon with us at all times to protect ourselves given the tremendous increase in gun crimes.

Many believe, starting with Mr. Obama, crime will decrease if we take ALL rifles and handguns off the streets, and make gun ownership illegal. Of course that theory is one of the most outrageous misnomers of all times. Does anyone really believe that gun-carrying criminals will abide by any gun ban laws? Of course not.

Implementing gun ban laws will make criminals very happy. They will get increased confidence that when they break into a business or home to commit a crime. They will rest assured that American citizens will have not arms to protect themselves. Gangs will remain confident they can ravage and vandalize communities, as gang members will be the only ones arming themselves with rifles and handguns.

Ironically the very worst city in the nation is Mr. Obama's and Mayor Emanuel's home town of Chicago.  Two days ago I watched an ESPN special about a rising basketball 17-year old that was destined to become a college and future professional star. While walking with his girlfriend he was senselessly gunned down by two teen-age gang members.  The year?  1984.

The point here is Chicago has endured heavy gun crime for decades, and while Mr. Obama and Chicago Mayor Emanuel want gun control in effect immediately they refuse to discuss their own home town.  Illinois, along with California, and New York all have two things in common.  One, these three states have the highest rate of gun crimes in the country, and two; these three states do not allow citizens to carry guns to protect themselves.

This goes to my other point that gun carrying criminals in these three states readily know that their gangs and other criminals are the only people carrying guns. They know law-abiding Second Amendment citizens will not be arming themselves for protection. This is the very number one reason that crime is escalating out of control in Chicago.

And our media does not help to promote Second Amendment rights of American citizens. The media is supporting Mr. Obama to promote strict gun control. They write about it in their daily publications. They broadcast it on their daily radio and TV shows. However, they will not ever broadcast or write about how guns in the proper hands can actually prevent crime.

Two days after the Newton, CT Sandy Hook school shooting there was a shooting in San Antonio, Texas that never made the news. A deranged man went to a restaurant, shot his girlfriend, and followed the scattered restaurant patrons to a near-by theater. He was ready to open fire on all the helpless citizens. However, there was an off-duty sheriff in the theater, who pulled her weapon out, opened fire on the the shooter and killed him. Nah, you'll never hear or read about that. The media just wants to present stories to take guns away from Americans, even to the point of repealing the Second Amendment.

I am a proud NRA member, and visit the shooting range at least twice a week. I make my own reload bullets. I took the state exams in Ohio and Pennsylvania, and can legally carry a weapon in every state except the three states, Illinois, California, and New York that have the highest gun crime in the country. My wife is also licensed, and carries a snub-nosed .38 special in her purse.

I am also a proud military veteran that follows each gun law, along with every gun safety protocol. I hope I never point and shoot at anything except an authorized target at an authorized gun range. However, when I retire for the evening I load my .357 and two .38 specials with hollow points, set the house security alarm and sleep like a new-born.

Guns do not kill or harm people. The criminal that pulls the trigger is the one doing the harm or committing the ultimate crime of murder. Rather than ban guns we need to spend more time researching why someone, even a teen-ager, would pull the trigger on a gun. What background did they come from that didn't teach them to obey gun laws, along with displaying respect for their fellow citizens. We have to find out why an individual would feel the only way to settle a dispute is with a gun. At what age did a criminal start becoming a criminal?  Babies are all born equal; there are no instructions on the bottoms of babies when they are born. Somehow, they have evolved into gun carrying criminals. How?  Why?

We need to spend more time delving into the cause of the increased gun crimes. Implementing gun control is just a small band-aid in ever growing horrendous problem in our country, especially in our schools. Mr. Obama, Mr. Mayor Emanuel take a look in your own back yard before you try to impose any gun control law that will do no good for Americans.

And that's Politics with Pete for today.....God bless our country....and our troops