Gun buy-back misguided

I do not understand how a gun buy-back (CR, Aug. 27) “paves the way to peace.” Five previous efforts offer no indication of doing so.

Would not putting easy gun buy-back money in the hands of criminals that have guns just encourage them to steal guns? We can blame guns for a lack of peace, but if we want to respect humanity’s dignity we have to blame criminals. Crime is a choice.

I do not know how to cure criminals. I do know that we need to protect ourselves from them and that a gun is a reasonable thing to own until there is a cure.

Where people own guns, crime rates are sometimes lower. Apparently criminals have enough sense to avoid places where they know they will encounter resistance.

Jesus apparently knew this. He told his apostles at the last supper that from now on anyone that did not own a sword should sell his coat and buy one.