Gun lust

Tom Waseleski

There are many facets to the tragedy engulfing Jordan Brown, the 11-year-old from Lawrence County who is charged with using his own shotgun to kill his father's pregnant girlfriend, Kenzie Marie Houk. The part that should concern Pennsylvanians -- once again -- is the state's lack of sensible gun restrictions. I know what you're thinking: Here comes another one of those anti-gun screeds. Actually not.

If you take a look at Jerome Sherman's excellent news story in Sunday's PG, you'll see how Pennsylvania law is practically silent on when a child may pick up and fire a gun. Although a person can't buy a handgun under age 21 or a rifle under age 18 and can't obtain a hunting license under the age of 12, a child can go hunting and fire a gun with a parent at any age. While the law says a minor must be under the supervision of a parent and be engaged in lawful activity when possessing a gun, does that mean a parent who gives a child standing permission to keep a shotgun nearby -- in his room, in his toy box or elsewhere -- is acting within the law?

Also, and most clearly a factor in the Jordan Brown case, there is no state law that requires guns and/or ammunition to be locked away from children. Why?

Because even though none of these sensible restrictions would infringe on gun ownership, gun use or hunting, the gun lobby -- which has the Pennsylvania Legislature in a stranglehold -- cannot tolerate the kind of modest laws that might have prevented the Jordan Brown and Kenzie Marie Houk tragedy from happening.