Page 12 - coccanyoncall_fy19771978
P. 12
Page 2
OPINION THANKS, AMERICA, FOR OPINION
CONSERVING (?) ENERGY
Disc Jockies- No Gun Control
AII Is Forgiven Is U.S.A. "Must"
By Tom Ball
By Ray L. McEdward
"Good evening, Guys and Gals,
Groovers and Movers, Teens and The issue of gun control is a
Queens. never-ending question in the United
"Tonight time is the right time. States - and one that may never be
answered. Although some feel that
So get in gear so you can hear the
sounds of the years. gun control legislation is necessary,
"And always remember - we've I and many others, feel it is inef-
got the latest hits, the greatest hits, fective, improperly administered
and directly in conflict with the
the bops, the flops, the newies, the
bluies, the old ones, the gold United States Constitution.
ones" ... Whew! One example of ineffective legis-
Not so long ago, an introduction lation is the Federal Gun Control
Act of 1968. The second is the
like this was common in radio broad-
casting. Sullivan Law of New York City. The
federal act calls for the registration
One could hear some frenetic disc
jockey screaming at the top of his of every firearm bought in this
lungs anywhere on the dial. These country. It also requires the alcohol,
tobacco and firearms branch of the
d.j.'s talked so fast only a Chinaman
could understand them. But not Treasury Department to conduct
discouraged, we simply turned the full-scale investigations of every
volume up until every window in licensed firearms' dealer.
our cars or rooms shattered. To this date, not one investigation
As the years passed, however, has been carried out. This is
these same announcers and their primarily due to Congress refusing
bril,nd of music became less appeal- to .appropriate the funds necessary
ing. We either "grew up" in our for the investigation.
tastes, or our window repair bills The Sullivan Law, which makes it
became too expensive. virtually impossible for a citizen to
Yet, the world of radio entertain- own a handgun within the city,
ment has become lonely what with doesn't work. According to FBI
the extinction of the rowdy boss statistics, New York City in 1972
reported 1,357 "violent crimes" per
jock who had added so much spice.
Admit it. He was kind of fun. 100,000 population, the highest in
Wasn't he? the nation.
For some reasons, I recently This metropolis, where handguns
are outlawed, not only boasted the
became tired of the stations I'd been
listening to. I switched reluctantly highest incidence of such crimes,
but its percentage of crimes com-
to a Country Western station. I soon
felt like a hick truck driver listening mitted with handguns is higher than
to Buck Owens. any in the nation.
Musically, I'm not hard to please, Improperly administered gun
~ut this was ridiculous. Then I control laws cause more confusion
tuned to one of those classical than a "fox in a hen house". The first
stations where the announcer is incident that comes to mind is the
awakened every 20 minutes for the hassle over the so-called "Saturday
time and a commercial. I started to night special". The most recent
fall asleep, too. definition I can find for this gun is
that it is small caliber, inexpensive
(Cont'd on page 4)
handgun under 4 inches in length.
At last count there were some 16
different bills in the Senate alone, all
THE CANYON CALL with a different definition of a
Published twice monthly by "Saturday night special". Despite
journalism students at College all the various bills now under
of the Canyons . Editorial consideration, not one of them in my
opinions expressed in this opinion, will be passed, or, if
pub I ication are those of the passed, will be administered ef-
writer and not necessarily fectively.
those of the college .
The Second Amendment to the
STAFF Constitution states that "A well
Tom Ball regulated militia being necessary to
Robert Buttitta the security of a free state, the right
Mike Carli
Kathy Carver of the people to keep, and bear arms
shall not be infringed." If we take
Dolly Hays
this at its face value, any type of
Carl Heinz
Linda H itzeroth gun control law is in direct violation
of the Constitution.
Brenda Mauldin
· Kathy McGinnis Many municipal authorities such
James Walsh as the late Mayor Richard Daley of
Chicago, and Rockey Pomerance,
PHOTOGRAPHERS
Miami police chief, vehemently sup-
Jim Hernan
port gun controls. Los Angeles
Ron Nicholson
Police Chief Edward Davis contends
John Williams
that ownership is a necessity.
CARTOONISTS
Kathy Carver, reporter for The Canyon Call, talked to TV star Jack Klugman People shouldn't depend on instant
Dusty Atkins
who appeared on campus this week for location filming of his NBC-TV series, help from the police. People should
Jeff Fuller
Quincy. Members of COC's Cougar football team appear as extras in episode be able to defend themselves, their
ADVISER
scheduled for telecasting in about eight weeks. See accompanying story by Ms. families and their homes from all
Tony Remenih
Carver starting on Page 1. invaders.
