It’s show time. The president of the United States on Tuesday, Jan. 5, at the White House, with tears running down his cheeks and his hair with added gray by his hairdresser, lamented the victims of Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting. Of course the Associated Press, whose editorial staff is permeated with progressives (liberals), paints the president as standing alone against the National Rifle Associaton and other pro-gun groups. 

It’s the same type of theater with props he has used to bully his opponents and garner more votes for Democratic candidates. His activities, no matter how mad he gets, have not and will not stop gun violence and Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders know it.

We all feel great sorrow for the victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School and the San Bernadino, California, shootings. However, this shows again the failure of legislating gun control. Remember the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre when Al Capone’s men lined up 13 men from the Bugs Moran gang and machine-gunned them during Prohibition? I bring this up to illustrate these machine guns were supposed to be used by police, sheriffs and the Army. The gangs wanted the guns and got them. Nothing has changed over many years.

Let’s deal in facts and not touchy-feely political correctness. Guns, like any other weapon, are inanimate objects (not alive) as are any other weapons, used for self-protection, hunting or used to commit a crime. You can legislate and enact gun control laws that will accomplish nothing.

This quote from Mr. James Jacobs, a New York University Law School professor, is spot on. “It’s not ever going to be difficult to get a firearm, just like it’s not ever going to be difficult to get illegal drugs.” It is impossible to stop all gun violence because there will always be a small number of people who will commit crimes regardless of the risk and punishment. The question, then, is what actions will bring the most results? Most criminals, when committing crimes, do weigh the risks versus the rewards and the best way to counter most violent crime is:

1. Swift justice. End the revolving door of the endless judicial process. If you kill someone the perp will be in prison 365 days to get proof of his innocence. On the 365th day, the perp will be executed.

2. Punishment to fit the crime. Example: For a common store robbery,the punishment will be 10 years for a first offense and 20 more for a second offense. Also, reduced sentences for good behavior will be gone.

3. Make prisons prisons. State and federal prisons cater to the convicts to prevent prison riots. Perps will get three meals a day, necessary health care and one hour in the prison yard. The remainder of the day they will spend in their cell. They can receive friends or family on visitor day and separated by a glass wall with phone. There will be no conjugal visits, etc. In other words, prisons will be what they are supposed to be: punishment for committing a crime.

4. Breaking parole. Once the parolee breaks parole, once caught they will not be paroled again and if he/she committed a violent crime they will never get out of prison.

Unless the people demand an end to our present revolving-door judicial and prison policy, Americans will continue to see more, not less, gun violence. The alternative — taking guns away from innocent people — means the honest shopkeeper or family will be at the mercy of the criminals with guns.

Federal legislation always leads to unintended consequences. Case in point is the Eighteenth Amendment (Prohibition). Did that prevent people from obtaining liquor or beer? No way. Its original intent was to stop mob violence during the 1920s. All it accomplished was to create a black market for booze and gave the mobsters a financial bonanza to expand their enterprises. It also created more mob violence as gangs fought over more lucrative turf, a la the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre. The Eighteenth Amendment was later repealed because authorities could not enforce the law. The only good thing to come out of it was the moonshine runners started racing against each other and today that came down to us as NASCAR racing.

If the anti-gun zealots succeed in taking away the guns, it will create a black market that will give the mobs another financial bonanza. Never forget the professional mobs (families) are businessmen and if they see a chance to make money they will.

The Founding Fathers knew that if guns are taken away, the people will not be able to protect their family, home and property from thieves and claim jumpers. But more importantly, guns in the hands of farmers, shopkeepers and blacksmiths helped to give the citizens power and created what was called the militia to prevent an over-zealous government abroad or here at home committed to overthrowing the American culture and its freedoms enshrined in the Constitution. I think the Second Amendment is worth repeating: “A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.”

The federal government could not win during Prohibition. Can they keep guns from the law-abiding citizen? Not a chance.

Rallis is a resident of Columbia Falls.