By Arthur Weinreb
Thursday, August 9, 2007
The University of Toronto recently decided to close the institution's shooting range that has been around for the past 88 years. The U of T's Rifle and Revolver Clubs is being closed because of the most serious crisis that can befall the politically correct classes – bad optics. In its long history there has never been an serious incident or accident involving guns on the shooting range or with the club that currently has approximately 400 members.
The closing down of the shooting range comes on the heels of the tragic shooting death of 11-year-old Ephraim Brown who was caught in a crossfire between two university students gang members. The usual suspects; Toronto Mayor David Miller and Ontario Attorney General Michael Bryant used the youngster's untimely death to once again go after legal gun owners and call for a total ban on guns. The increasing use of guns in major cities including the odd shocking crime such as Ephraim's death provided the impetus for the University of Toronto to decide to ban guns totally from its campuses.
Even the most zealous anti-gun advocate will admit that legal gun owners and users such as the student club members are not responsible for the barrage of bullets that are flying around on a nightly (and daily) basis in Toronto and other major Canadian cities. To the extent that legal gun owners contribute to the problem it is when they become victims of a crime and their guns are stolen, usually in break-ins. But the day has long gone when we hold people responsible for their own actions in favour of simplistic solutions such as banning guns. Those who illegally carry and use firearms; the "ghetto dudes" as some Liberals like to refer to them, are not quite as dumb as the elites think that they are. If they can't find guns to steal here, they'll get them from somewhere else. Much like our taxes, the cost of illegal guns will go up but those who want guns will still get them.
The risks of break ins and thefts are not applicable to the University of Toronto's shooting range. The range is found in the basement of Hart House that is located well within the campus. It is heavily secured and people need picture ID to enter. There has never been a theft of guns from Hart House and one is not likely with all of the security measures. However that is not the issue; bad optics, remember?
All of this brings us to the Olympics which will be held a year from now in Beijing. Included in the Olympic Games are rifle, pistol and shotgun events. How can Canada in good conscience, field a team of shooters in a society that is trying to become gun free? It's deplorable. Something has to be done about it.
And just where will future Olympic athletes come from? Apparently you cannot decide to become an Olympian and sign up. Qualifying for a position on an Olympic team requires proficiency that only comes with years of hard work and practise. But where will these athletes practise when all legal guns are banned in Canada? They could always go to the United States; that's the place where all the politicians who champion a one-tier health system go when they develop serious medical problems. But that's really not the answer.
If we are really going to do the politically correct thing then we should follow the University of Toronto's example and refuse to field Olympic teams for all events that comprise, in whole or in part, the shooting of guns. Pressure should be brought to bear on both the Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) and its sponsors to stop funding and assisting these shooters. It's just so un-Canadian; after all one of our leading universities can't be wrong, can they? If those who are pressing for a total ban on guns are really sincere they would pressure the COC to withdraw from events that involve guns.
This will never happen of course. Even the politically correct have limits but it points out the absurdity of the U of T's position where gun use more closely resembles the Olympics than it does the gang members who fire off guns oblivious to how many babies and children might be between them and their intended target.
Tony Bernardo, a spokesperson for the Canadian Shooting Sports Association was quoted as saying, "You'd think a university would think outside of the box."
No Mr. Bernardo; universities are the box. And that's what the problem is.
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