Thursday, November 18, 2010

The Philadelphia Inquirer on Lax Pennsylvania Gun Laws

Highlighting the murder of a state wildlife conservation officer by a prohibited person with a gun, the Inquirer Editorial makes some good points.

A proposal supported by most Pennsylvanians would require reporting lost and stolen weapons as part of a strategy to curtail illegal gun sales by buyers who pose as fronts or so-called straw buyers. It has the support of law enforcement and mayors in dozens of cities and towns, but it has gone nowhere in Harrisburg.

Another gun-safety tactic would be to limit handgun buyers to one a month - once again, to cut down on illegal trafficking without infringing on anyone's right to legally own a handgun.

Finally, the state needs to close the so-called Florida loophole that allows people to acquire out-of-state handgun licenses even after they have been turned down in Pennsylvania.

Unfortunately, the election of NRA acolyte Tom Corbett as governor doesn't bode well for moving ahead with such sensible gun-safety regulations. But their enactment would be a fitting tribute to the dedication of law enforcement officers such as David Grove.
What's your opinion? Please leave a comment.

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