"The forecasters were wrong about handguns; the number of shootings by gun-toting citizens with permits has been remarkably small, perhaps because so many establishments have banned the carrying of weapons on their premises" ("Winners & Losers of 1996," Dec. 18).
The number of places that have banned guns, other than those like hospitals where they are banned by the statute, is minuscule. Thus, this "banning" by "establishments" can have no statistical effect on shootings, good or bad.
Banning of guns in places of business is antithetical to the very concept of the Texas law. Gun-permit holders are carefully screened and given very good training - with emphasis on using a gun as a last resort. So, we carry our concealed handguns into most of our banks, into Wal-Mart, into Luby's Cafeteria, and so on. These places are in effect getting a sober, sensible, no-charge security guard. And we have the peace of mind we have lacked for so many years.
The hue and cry about the "slaughter in the streets" that would take place once this law was passed was simply emotional garbage foisted off on the public by hand-wringing antigun zealots and crusading media. It never was a factor, based on the track record of all the other states that had the law on the books for years. The major uproar was over all the traffic altercations that would result in killings by permit holders. I know of only one such incident, while there were many more shootings by nonpermit holders....
RICHARD C. RHODES
Honey Grove
Richard Rhodes
01/26/97