Sunday, July 27, 2008

Advertising Gun-Free Zones

Last week I was in St. Paul visiting my mother, who lives in a retirement home. On the main door, the door that visitors use, is a sign that says, “Marian Home bans guns on these premises.” Perhaps that sign was supposed to make me feel that my mother was safe. I did not feel that. On the contrary, the sign made me worry that my mother might be in danger.

What is the benefit of that sign? It would not affect the residents who might have accidents with guns, because a no-gun rule can be a condition of admittance. It would affect visitors. Who would bring a gun into the building that might be a danger and who also would be deterred by that sign? I can think of no one. On the other hand, it seems to me that the sign is advertising to potential criminals that here is a population that is easy pickings and that will offer no resistance.

What do you think? Does the sign make my mother safer or less safe?

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