I can’t think of another book that has inspired such a fundamental change in the way I think about an important political issue.

The only times I have fired a weapon have been while wearing a uniform; as a Boy Scout or with the Marines. I don’t own a firearm but I don’t have a problem with law-abiding citizens owning them. Even so, I have long favored proposed legislation against assault-type weapons in response to the increasing number of mass killings by unhinges individuals. This book has caused me to reassess this opinion.

Craig Whitney, a descendant of the same family as Eli Whitney, who brought is us the ability to mass-produce firearms, presents a well-researched study of the roots, laws, arguments and facts involved in the case for and against gun ownership in America. He also, through discussions with key people on both sides of the issue, has come up with a list of proposals that he believes both sides could agree on that would have a significant impact on the rate of gun violence in America. None of his proposals involves restricting the ownership of guns to law-abiding citizens.

The problem is that a ban such as currently proposed in Congress would do next to nothing to prevent most of the massacres that have occurred recently. Columbine, Sandy Hook, Tucson, Oakland and UVA were all carried out with weapons that are not covered under the proposed ban. Without high-capacity magazines, most of these weapons are no different than those found legally in many American homes.

Whitney’s proposals would, if implemented, have an impact on such crimes. His first proposal, filling in the holes in the national instant background check database, could have prevented the assailants in Tucson and UVA from purchasing the weapons they used. Cracking down on straw purchasers and the dealers who knowingly sell to them could have prevented Columbine.

Finally, we must all realize that the second amendment does not give gun dealers and owners carte blanche when it comes to firearms. Even Anton Scalia, the NRA’s staunchest advocate on the Supreme Court, has said. “Like most rights, the right secured by the Second Amendment is not unlimited.” With gun ownership comes responsibility and that can be legislated.

I highly recommend this book regardless of where you stand on this issue. ( )