Critics: More laws will hinder right to bear arms

Editor’s note: This is the third part of a multi-part installment on gun control in Idaho.

COEUR d’ALENE — The findings by a recent study that  suggests U.S. states with the most firearm-related legislation are also those with the lowest rates of firearm deaths are no surprise.

That’s because more firearm laws means more requirements for owning a gun, said Ed Santos, shooting instructor and owner of Center Target Sports in Post Falls. Which, he added, results in fewer people owning them.

“There are less people who have the guns, so the number (of deaths) has to be lower,” Santos said.

Santos thinks Idaho’s gun laws are mostly fine the way they are.

But he supports creating a shooting standard to purchase a gun.

“As someone who testifies in concealed carry shooting (cases), it’s always an additional burden on the defense when questions come up to one’s proficiency with a firearm,” Santos said. “If you have a shooting standard that person has to meet prior to getting a firearm, that argument is easily addressed.”

Public safety is important to the Idaho Legislature, acknowledged Rep. Barbieri.

But he questions any firearm legislation that would hinder people’s right to bear arms.

To him, that includes many firearm laws in other states.

Including safety training requirements to buy a gun.

“It’s just another way to limit an individual’s ability to defend themselves. Suppose they can’t afford a training class, or suppose they don’t have time to get to a class?” Barbieri said.

“If you want safety training, it boils down to treat every gun like it’s loaded, and never point a gun at anyone. There’s your safety class.”

Rep. Luke Malek, R-Coeur d’Alene, believes Idaho gun owners will use their guns cautiously, with or without a litany of safety laws.

“We have a culture that with firearms comes a tremendous amount of responsibility,” Malek said.

More firearm regulation does appear to result with less gun ownership, Dr. Fleegler acknowledged.

“Our study definitely demonstrates that in states that have the most laws, there are lower rates of household firearm ownerships,” he said.

But that isn’t the sole reason states with more safety laws have fewer fatalities, he said.

“These are reasonable regulations that can help reduce the number of gun deaths,” Fleegler said of provisions like limiting child access and required training.

He doubts that more safety requirements actually prevent people from obtaining guns, he added.

“There are no states that prohibit guns,” he pointed out. “That we have to register our cars and have drivers licenses to drive, that doesn’t prevent people owning and driving them.”

The study tallied that 31,000 die a year from firearm deaths in the U.S., he added.

That’s a body count Americans wouldn’t allow for any other product, Fleegler argued.

Maybe the lawbooks won’t solve all of America’s gun violence.

But the numbers do indicate that they can help, Fleegler said.

“If 10 people die because of a toy, there’s an incredible outcry to make sure it doesn’t happen again,” he said. “There is nothing else we would tolerate as being a reasonable amount of people to die, such as we do with firearm deaths.”