y regulated than that of fire arms. The Center for Disease Control estimates that nearly 1.2 million latchkey children have access to loaded and unloaded firearms. Approximately ten thousand times a year, a young person shoots someone unintentionally 18 years old or younger. In 710 instances, the person dies. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms estimates that handguns are involved in 71% of all armed crimes and 60% of all suicides. “The U.S. is already the toughest of the advanced industrial societies on crime and criminals. We lock up a larger fraction of our population for longer periods of time than any other advanced western nation. Yet we have overwhelming the largest crime rate.” Professor James Wright, Sociologist at Tulane University who is often quoted by the gun lobby. Citizens’ Self Defense Act is gaining support while many republican leaders still refuse to hold hearings. In my opinion, I should like to proffer a case study, which I believe brings much of the rhetoric, laws etc., home, especially when we realize there are individual’s lives at stake. I also would state that the framers of the Constitution would be appalled to hear that every American does not have the right to own a gun of some kind.Fifty-four year old John Quillen Hammiel of Temple Hills, Maryland, was attacked by two would-be muggers recently just outside his apartment. Hammiel believed the two assailants were armed (one was carrying what turned out to be a realistic looking toy gun) but he refused to play the part of the helpless victim. Hammiel drew his sidearm and shot and killed one of the attackers. Obviously acting in self-defense, Hammiel was not charged with murder or assault. He was, however, charged for the “illegal” act of carrying a concealed firearm. This man, who successfully defended himself against lawless thugs, now has to defend himself in the court system. The Citizen’s Self Defense Act...
