The president of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, Paul Helmke, was in Columbus on September 10, several days after a shooting on the North side that left two police officers wounded, numerous citizens unsettled and the gunman dead of a self-inflicted gunshot.

Mr. Helmke and Columbus Mayor Michael Coleman, seeming to single out “assault weapons” and in particular the AK-47, seem to believe that the gun lobby has politically paralyzed the country from taking simple measures to protect the public, such as background checks to make sure felons or the mentally ill can’t buy guns. Felons and the mentally ill buy guns? Of course they do. Pick a penitentiary, any penitentiary, and ask one question of the inmates: Of those convicted of crimes of violence who had a gun, did you purchase the gun legally – Yes or No? How many inmates do YOU think would answer yes? Hasn’t Mr. Helmke ever heard of the black market?

Mayor Coleman, has the safety of Columbus’ citizens at heart when he says “You don’t need an AK-47 to shoot a deer across the street at Broad and High.” It’s too bad the mayor has never taken a hunter safety course. If he had he would have known that firing ANY weapon across a heavily traveled thoroughfare is not safe.

What I want to know is why these individuals and those of similar viewpoints are so outraged about “gun violence” and yet not one word from them about the slaughter on our nation’s highways from drunk drivers. According to the 2007 Traffic Safety Annual Assessment–Alcohol Impaired Driving Fatalities published in August 2008 by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 12,998 people lost their lives in 2007 to drunk drivers. During the same period, there were 450 homicides by rifle (which the AK47 is considered to be) according to the FBI’s 2007 report on Crime in the United States.

WHERE’S THE OUTRAGE ABOUT TRAFFIC DEATHS FROM DRUNK DRIVERS?

Sensible gun laws? How about sensible drinking laws. Let’s have a one bottle a month limit on the amount of liquor that can be purchased or one six pack a month limit for beer. Let’s have every bar patron check his/her car keys in at the bar and only get them back after passing a breathalyzer test when leaving. Let’s have every new vehicle sold in the United States fitted with an ignition interlock device that prevents the vehicle from starting if it detects alcohol on one’s breath, and retrofit every vehicle on the road with the same device.

Instead of putting energy into attempting to pass “feel good” legislation such as the assault weapon ban that does nothing, put energies into something that will make a real difference. Mr. Helmke, Mayor Coleman, I’ll buy your first year membership to Mothers Against Drunk Driving.