Another Day Another Shooting... Ho Hum

Pow pow.... another banger bites the dust in the big city. Two things then happen almost immediately. First we hear about the traffic in illegal guns and how it must be stopped in order to end this violence and second we hear about "what a good boy the victim was". This is usually accompanied by a picture of the victim, his mother or both on the front page. The next several things usually happen but not always. We see a local organizer speaking to a group of people about regaining control of their community and saving their children from a similar fate. Next is a police officer pleading with the public for help in finding the "perp". Then the outrage and sympathy quickly fades away after it is overshadowed by the next gunshot that finds the chest of a inner city youth. So much huffing and puffing and nothing ever changes except the faces of those gunned down in the streets of our city. If anybody was serious about correcting this situation it would have been done by now because common sense and history have always had the answers. Accountability and responsibility are the simple corrective actions. Make people accountable for the severity of their actions which interprets to a jail sentence that is clearly a deterrent not just a slap on the wrist. Any crime commited with a firearm should carry a minimum 20 year sentence and shooting someone should start at 25 years with no chance of parole. Knowing these are the consequences of using a gun the then would be shooter is sending a clear message (I don't care) to society and then becomes solely responsible for his/her actions. Responsiblity means "YOU" are to blame not your mother, not the welfare system, not your abusive Dad, not the wrong crowd etc etc. Therefore suck it up put on the orange suit and slippers and head for your cell without any tears or pleas for leniency. Unfortunately our politicians and judges are of a Liberal slant and therefore see this type of answer too abrupt and simple and doesn't take into account all of the psychological, heredity and environmental factors that are the real cause for these misguided victims of society. They prefer to put these people's rights ahead of the law abiding folks who are always the real victims of these crimes. Sure the prison population would rise at the outset but it will even out after the shooters decide to lay down their arms for another weapon of choice. Nothing is 100% affective but this type of action has proven time and time again that when implemented it can almost eliminate its intended target. Take Thailand for instance, they have some of the toughest drug laws on the books anywhere in the world and you rarely hear of any problems with smuggling etc except once in a blue moon when a foreigner is caught and the Liberal media rushes to their assistance. How about chewing gum in Singapore? I know this isn't as serious as gunplay but it illustrates the type of action required if a society truly wants to put an end to a particular practice in it's community. Hey I have an idea, put me on the bench and then watch the prison vans line up for new tires on a very regular basis.........................