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Politics : PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: long-gone who wrote (168949)	8/8/2001 1:48:08 PM
From: goldworldnet	Respond to of 769667

Sling-Shots are next... * Monday July 30 5:40 PM ET UK Eye Specialists Urge Crackdown on Air Guns By Pat Hagan LONDON (Reuters Health) - Two British eye specialists have called for tougher laws on the ownership of air guns after a survey they carried out revealed young men continue to suffer devastating injuries from accidents involving such weapons. Dr. Gary Shuttleworth, from the Bristol Eye Hospital, and Dr. Peter Galloway, formerly of the West of England Eye Unit in Exeter, are pressing for reforms of the firearms laws to make it harder for young children and teenage boys to get hold of air guns. Reporting their findings in the latest edition of the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine, they claim their research proves attempts to raise public awareness about the dangers of the weapons have failed. ``Either the threat posed by these weapons is not taken seriously or politicians and public remain unaware of these devastating injuries which can blight lives,'' they write. ''Previous lessons do not seem to have been learned and we suggest the only answer lies in restricting access and ownership of such weapons.'' There are estimated to be as many 4 million air weapons in the UK and although they are classed as firearms, many do not require a certificate, the researchers note. Previous research has estimated that there are more than 1,000 incidents involving air guns in the UK every year and at least one person is killed. Since 1993, at least three children have been shot dead. Although the UK has some of the strictest guns control laws in the world, legislation covering air guns has changed little in 30 years. Under current regulations, a child under 14 is allowed to use an air gun provided they are supervised by an adult over 21. To find out the extent of eye injuries involving air guns, the two ophthalmologists conducted a survey of fellow consultants in hospitals in the southwest of England and south Wales. The 20 consultants who replied reported cases of eye injuries dating back to 1988. In most cases, the victim was a young male who had been injured accidentally and in the absence of proper adult supervision. Most eye injuries arose from the gun being accidentally fired at close range, often by a friend or relative, although a few shootings were deliberate acts of violence. Out of the 19 documented injuries, nine involved ruptures to the eyeball and the other 10 bruising. A total of 21 operations were performed as a result, including seven victims who needed false eyes fitted and one who had to undergo intracranial surgery when a pellet became embedded inside the skull. The survey revealed patients spent an average of 10 days in hospital, followed by another 10 visits as outpatients. The researchers said they had set out to show that air gun injuries still occur in sizeable numbers and that the need for preventive action remains as strong as ever. ``The ophthalmologist, perhaps better than most, appreciates the devastating effects that air weapon injuries inflict,'' they report. The Royal College of Ophthalmologists told Reuters Health it supported the ``responsible use'' of air guns but does not have a firm view on whether tougher restrictions are needed. College president Paul Hunter said, ``We recognise that air guns are potentially dangerous but we don't know that existing safeguards are insufficient. You would have to carry out a similar survey on other things that cause eye injuries, such as catapults and sticks.'' A spokesperson for the Home Office, which is responsible for firearms legislation in the UK, said ministers had asked a special advisory committee to examine the need for change on air gun laws. The committee is expected to come up with recommendations within the next few months. dailynews.yahoo.com * * *

To: long-gone who wrote (168949)	8/8/2001 1:55:24 PM
From: Oral Roberts	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 769667

"It's crystal clear that legally held firearms are not the problem and that the existing gun laws do not lead to crime reduction and a safer place to live," says David Bredin of the Countryside Alliance. Pretty much proves what intelligent people have known all along. Disarming law abiding citizens may actually have the opposite effect of their intent. Look at Australia as another case study. Seems pretty plain in our own country the areas with the highest civilian gun ownership also have the lowest crime rates. Would you rather break into a house in WI where you will likely be met with an armed owner or in DC where the only people with guns are the crooks.