This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2011, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
The rapid-fire shooting of Arizona Rep. Gabrielle Giffords and 18 others puts a big exclamation mark behind the need to ban the sale of semiautomatic weapons. The shooter's 9-millimeter Glock is extremely easy to fire over and over, and it can carry a 30-bullet clip. Other than police, who needs that much firepower for self-defense?
There used to be more restrictions on weapons like these, until President George W. Bush and his Republican Congress let the law expire in 2004. To me, that doesn't seem like establishing justice, ensuring domestic tranquility or promoting the general welfare.
Hey, I believe the Constitution gives every sane American without a record a right to own a gun for self-defense. But no right is absolute, and the average citizen needs a semiautomatic gun as much as they need a bazooka. Similarly, freedom of speech is vital to a democracy, but you can't libel, slander or yell "fire" in a theater.
In the name of 9-year-old Christina Green, who went to Gifford's "Congress on Your Corner" at a Safeway to see how democracy works, let's make democracy work and again ban the sale of semiautomatic guns.
Trent Conway
Springville