Guns and Safety

There’s a lot we can learn from our neighbors. King County is Washington’s most populous county. Recently the King County Board of Health voted unanimously to require gun dealers and shooting ranges to post warning signs about the dangers of killing machines, i.e. guns.

The signs say: “The presence of a firearm in the home increases the risk of suicide, homicide and unintentional deaths to children.” While this statement of fact is obvious to many readers, it’s actually not obvious to many gun-worshiping Americans.

What the King County Board of Health knows is that many gun owners tragically believe the opposite of the truth when it comes to the presence of guns. Most believe that having killing machines in their home increases their safety.

While many gun-lovers ignore any information that contradicts their beliefs, some may read these signs and think twice about endangering themselves, their children, their families and their communities.

Joshua Welch

Eugene