n ex-con who was already violating a host of gun-control laws by having a firearm in his possession. As for suicides involving young people and firearms, so far in Orange County this year there have been two - one a 14-year-old, one a 17-year-old. It's a terrible thing, to be sure, but still a much-lower death toll than from drownings. Now, I know that some people will say I'm mixing apples and oranges here - and maybe in some ways that's true. Others will say that I'm using the dead bodies of young drowning victims to make a political point - which in a sense I am, and which I regret. But facts are facts. And the fact is that, while guns are dangerous when they're misused, so are swimming pools and trips to the beach. But how many people would want to have to get a license from the state to take their kids swimming? So yes, we should be careful with our guns. We should use and store them responsibly. If we own guns and there are kids around, we should take extra steps to ensure that the kids won't get hurt. But people who really care about saving young lives should do the same with their water. And they shouldn't need a license to do it. ...
