Path: bloom-picayune.mit.edu!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!news.media.mit.edu!americast.com!usa-post Newsgroups: usa-today.issues From: usa-post@AmeriCast.Com Organization: American Cybercasting Approved: usa-post@AmeriCast.com Subject: issues Tue, May 5 1992 Date: Tue, 5 May 92 05:31:47 EDT Message-ID: 05-05 0000 DECISIONLINE: Issues & Debate USA TODAY Update May 5, 1992 Source: USA TODAY:Gannett National Information Network Here are some of the issues and topics being debated across the nation Tuesday morning in USA TODAY: Guns; Politics; Cities. TODAY'S DEBATE - GUN CONTROL: USA TODAY'S OPINION: The flames may have died down in Los Angeles, but the firepower that bristled there illustrates a menace that has spread out of control since the urban riots of the '60s. The firearms-related homicide rate - steady at about 5,000 a year from 1960-1967 - doubled by 1971. Today, Americans own 200 million guns, twice as many as in 1970. But it's hard to believe anyone feels safer: every two years, as many are killed by handguns alone as were killed in Vietnam. The force of today's firepower makes urban unrest especially lethal. In the 1967 Detroit riots, police faced .22 caliber rifles, small-caliber handguns and high-powered deer rifles. Today's police face AK-47 assault rifles, .45 caliber automatic pistols, and semiautomatic pistols that can empty 30-round clips in seconds. This has to stop. ... To help thwart further tragedies, the nation should start by banning military-style assault weapons. OTHER VIEW: JAMES JAY BAKER, executive director of the National Rifle Association Institute for Legislative Action: "Where are the police?" asked John Chu, who helped defend a business. "Overwhelmed," said Daryl Gates. "Where are the soldiers?" Chu asked. Busy organizing, said a spokesman. Where are the law-abiding gun owners? Defending themselves. "You're on your own," officials told citizens. "Protect yourself." Millions could. Millions more, when they tried, were prohibited from doing so. Many are still undergoing the state's waiting period to become gun owners 15 days after the outbreak of lawlessness. ... In the past six days, supporters of "reasonable" gun control have gotten a crash course in the indispensable nature of our right to bear arms. ... Until the criminal justice system does a better job, the tragedy of Los Angeles will continue, only on a less-publicized scale, for millions more good citizens. VOICES ACROSS THE NATION ON PLAYING POLITICS WITH THE L.A. RIOT: LIVONIA, Mich., Susan Thomson, 43, homemaker: Bush is using this as a political football. Starting with Willie Horton, he's used race in a negative way. Clinton was here talking about racial unity just before the primary. He seemed sincere. Perot seemed to showboat, saying he wanted to get in the middle of the action. BREHNAM, Texas, Martin J. Russell, 28, pastor: It's my hope that as they speak about this unfortunate situation, they are not playing politics, that they will address real human problems which are in our country. Racism is sad, sickening and tragic. My prayers are with the president. DOVER, Del., Ruth M. Laws, management consultant: Some of the candidates, like Clinton and Brown, are providing leadership. The situation in Los Angeles will have to be addressed in the presidential election because it was a symptom of injustice. There can be no peace without justice. RICHLAND, Wash., E.N. Hurd, 65, retired: Every one of them is guilty of overreaction, obviously trying to turn a catastrophic situation into something that favors their image as leaders and as spokesmen for the underprivileged. Bush is on the right track by making sure federal charges are imposed on the policemen. WASHINGTON, D.C., Mary DeGonia, 37, at-risk youth advocate: They are absolutely not providing leadership. I don't see the Democrats or the Republicans tackling the problem head-on. Lack of opportunity is a major piece of the disturbances, combined with discrimination that is totally ignored. TOPIC - CITIES: RICHARD NATHAN, director of the Rockefeller Institute of Government, which is the policy research arm of State University of New York, was interviewed by USA TODAY's Debbie Howlett. WHAT'S THE MOST PRESSING NEED FOR THE CITIES? The most pressing need is jobs and skills. One of the best things we could do is implement the 1988 jobs program, which Sens. Daniel Moynihan and Rep. Thomas Downey authored. Sen. Moynihan is now trying to get the federal government to increase its share of money for training and education and child care, particularly for welfare families. Jobs, skills and education and training are critical. It's important to our competitiveness and our country. HAVE WE SET UP A LONG, HOT SUMMER TALKED ABOUT IN THE '60S? It was a localized event. It didn't pop quickly in other cities. But still, I'm depressed that 20-plus years after the Kerner Commission report, the national government particularly has turned away from caring about and doing new things and devoting resources to urban needs. Particularly in the 80s, there has been a substantial falling off of national government commitment and resources devoted to the cities. WHAT SHOULD OTHER CITIES WITH THE SAME PROBLEMS BE LOOKING AT? The leaders should get out on the streets and tell people that this doesn't help. Innocent people are killed. The leaders - black and white, the teachers, the media representatives who have the most credibility - should help talk to people, make them feel they're heard. Issues & Debate Editor: Michele Coleman. (1-919-855-3491) Making copies of USA TODAY Update (Copyright, 1992) for further distribution violates federal law. This article is copyright 1992 Gannett News Service. 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