Right to own handguns
Senator Pete Reyes and Department of Public Safety Commissioner James DeLeon Guerrero’s idea to make handgun ownership very difficult is a violation of every law-abiding citizens’ right to own handguns. The CNMI’s existing firearms law is very stringent and one of the most restrictive under the jurisdiction of the U.S.A. The law does not need to be more restrictive.
The idea that handgun ownership by law-abiding citizens will cause chaos, more crime, and require a need for more policemen is ridiculous. This idea comes from baseless assumptions and speculation; it is not proven by facts. If what the commissioner and the senator say are true then Chicago would have few handgun crimes and Phoenix would have multiple times more.
Senator and commissioner, stop misleading the public. The criminals already have their handguns. If they don’t, they will find ways to get one even under the existing gun law. You are just punishing law-abiding citizens from protecting themselves from criminals and home invaders with your misguided opinions and assumptions. Criminals by definition do not abide by the law. Any law restriction on gun ownership does not affect the criminals; it affects the law-abiding citizen.
Guam, our neighbor, does not have chaos and rampant handgun crimes because handguns are readily available for their law-abiding citizens. They also do not make regulations to discourage their law-abiding citizens from bearing firearms—be it handguns, rifles, or shotguns.
Stop the fear mongering and try to concentrate on solving unsolved crimes. Focus on catching those criminals; focus on keeping the public safe and bringing closure to those victims and their families, rather than spending more time and energy on trying to restrict the gun rights of law abiding citizens. What the police force needs is more training in investigating many unsolved crimes. Concentrate also on the elimination of the importation or manufacturing of the drug “ice” or meth, which is devastating the lives of our young men and women in our islands.
Joseph I. Pangelinan
Garapan
My sentiments exactly! Thank you sir
Mr. P; there are many stats for and against. Lots online. Comparing U.S. States to our islands is comparing apples to oranges. While we have some similarities, we have major differences in circumstance, demographics and so on. These differences make us unique in some form or fashion. Just because “A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms shall not be infringed” is placed in our Nations constitution that we should all just blindly buy into it because “They” said so. Just sighting that “criminals have guns already” is not a reason enough to start arming entire citizen. There are many factors; direct and indirect that comes with such “ownership”. Remember the fatal shooting in Papago area then?
One intentional and another unintentional. Remember the fiasco at the “gun range” that immobilized the entire island? How many issues do we read in paper about domestic violence in our community news? Luckily, none has involved firearms (for the most part). I know of a few police men/women; some even family. Do I really want to make their jobs harder/deadly just so I can plink away? Do I wanna risk another’s life so I can “trip or feel manly”? So please do really think about it.
Buenas Mr. Pangelinan,
Growing up in the unforgiven streets of California, I was exposed to gang violence and I had access to illegal firearms if I wanted to, but I chose not to get involve. In my own experience, having access to more guns does not lead to criminal activities. There were times in the past that I was starving and I did not resort to stealing for my survival. The problem with gun violence go hand in hand with drugs, gangs and poverty. We can not or may not compare the United States crime stats with our island, because in the United States criminals had been committing crimes against society for generations and they were born into the world of crimes. Such criminal behaviors are hard to extinguish and most criminals have no fear of restitution and they careless of the consequence of their behaviors. But in the CNMI, many of us were being taught not to shame our family names and that is the main factor why gun violence is not rampant within our island chain at this point in time. I grew up within a city which had always made the top ten (nation wide) of the most violent crimes committed and I am not a career criminal nor I resort to criminal activities in my life.
The saying that more guns would create crimes in the CNMI is baseless. Drugs would be the culprit that would turn our society upset down and that had been the case in the United States.
Mr. Pangelinan, we totally agree with your opinion above.
Si Yu’us Ma’ase
“because in the US… and were born into worlds of crime.” REALLY?!
Wow.. Don’t even know where to start. Look at recent news.. Can anyone really guarantee the saneness of an individual at any given moment? I don’t think so. Our island is to small. One individual who feels cheated by another in the community may pick up a gun and create havoc. And please don’t tell me that if I had a gun I will be able to defend myself… If you do; how? Can you read Jose’s mind down the street that because you chigit his favorite zori, that he is going to knock on your door and blaze away and therefore defend yourself by taking him out first? I don’t think so.
I really hope “powers that be” think about this twice. One life lost for the sake of “2nd amendment rights” is too much.
Some years ago on Tinian, in a specific instance (there are some more similar) a certain friend, a cop, who was noted to be a “ladies man” and who used to chase after any female, married or not, regardless of nationality. He was shot at by a suspected husband of a wife this guy had ‘relations ‘ with.
The shot missed and landed just inches from him.
At that time it scared him and also was seriously taken as a warning as the “shooter” was an excellent marksman.
There has been some other instances and even deaths involving cops ad also civilians using guns.
It is all there today and more guns should not change the balance of things on the negative side.
My concerns are the incompetence and inability of the agency concerned with background checks and other regs that will be stipulated that also will involve Fed laws such as background checks and convicted felons being approved for ownership, as is now the case in the legal guns allowed.
This also applies to the convicted cops that are/have been hired back at DPS that legally are not allowed to be issued fire arms along with other citizens that still own and keep other firearms after felony convictions especially all that have been involved in domestic violence.
Exactly. I love my home but truth be told, we are challenged in mastering our emotions. We tend to act before thinking more often that not. Our laws, healthcare, police (no pun intended), schools, folks in community government, low wages, struggling economy and much-much more. The islands have drinking problem that we as a community would not admit to. We adults sit and drink with others unaware that we are setting very potent images/examples to our children (another issue in itself). Throw in a casino and bataboom-batabing! Our community we be turned upside down.
Again, I mean no disrespect to no one. It is what it is.
Where you at?? You OK?
Ai’ adai Chelu.. Yes, your right that guns don’t kill. Yes, folks in past are held in check because of those values etc… Past is past. But “in-the-now”, its way different. Children are being desensitized at early age with killings and such with gaming, TV, facebook, instagram and so on. What they see, they learn and become more brazen. As young adults, they are left with not so very developed copping and adjustment skills (busy si Dad gomimin yan i primos ya si Mom busy komati sa bulacheru is asaguania). Society has changed as a whole. In your recollection of United states, what makes you think only the mainland will have that issue and our islands would be immune to it? Also, who is asking for forgiveness and what is the use of asking elders forgiveness when ones life is extinguished forever? A daughter, a son, a mother a father, your brother, sister…
The islands have to many issues that needs attention that would rather place us all in further danger in introducing/allowing handguns in the community.
Your example Sir is the very reason why a lot of work is needed even before considering allowing handguns on the islands.