[Carl in Tampa]

There are multiple reasons to oppose the misnamed "smart guns."

1. Unreliability. There are several different proposed methods of making firearms incapable of firing unless certain conditions are met; usually having to do with the use of magnetic rings, bracelets emitting law powered radio waves, or biometric sensors in the gun determining whether or not the holder is an authorized user.

None of these methods is foolproof and each carries the hazard that the firearm will fail to fire when needed in an emergency.

2. Defeatable. Virtually any technology that is created by a man can be defeated by another man. Locksmiths can defeat locks. Smart gun technologists can defeat smart guns.

3. Ineffectual. Most owners are likely to store the safety device with the firearm, so if one is stolen then both will be stolen.

4. Duplication. Florida law already requires that firearms be properly stored, both in homes and in cars, to prevent their possession by children.

5. Political. It is clearly demonstrable that the real reason for the government pushing of "smart gun" technology is to facilitate the seizure of firearms.

Some states have already passed laws that mandate that as soon as smart guns are offered on the retail market in their states then guns without this technology can no longer be sold. This means that all "regular" firearms in the state will eventually become contraband, effectively making them subject to seizure.

There are also proposals that although the firearms themselves might not be registered, the "safety devices" (rings, bracelets, etc.) will be registered. This effectively tells the government which citizens are gun owners, possibly facilitating future firearms confiscation......or confiscation of the safety devices, rendering the firearms useless.

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What about:

1. Criminals? There will always be criminals. There are no laws that can be passed that will prevent people from committing crimes. Catch them and punish them.

2. Children? In addition to the laws that require proper storage of firearms to keep them out of the hands of children, there should be gun safety programs offered in the public schools.

For decades Ft. Homer W. Hesterly, the Florida National Guard Headquarters in Tampa, had an indoor gun range where organized target shooting by Boy Scouts was permitted.

The university I attended in Florida had an ROTC program where students were trained in firearms handling with the same rifles that were being used by U.S. Army personnel.

The NRA has a firearms safety program directed toward elementary school age children teaching them that if they encounter a firearm they should not touch it and should call an adult.

No program is perfect, but the efforts are appropriate. It's a shame that many children are not exposed to this instruction and it is likely that the firearms tragedies that we read about involving children involve children who have not received this training.

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