PrintGuns don't kill, bridges do
Ah, the Golden Gate Bridge, an engineering marvel, a beautiful public sculpture of sorts and one of the more enduring symbols of San Francisco since its construction over 65 years ago.
But alas, also a suicide magnet in a way other bridges for some reason just are not. Therefore in the interests of saving lives the Golden Gate Bridge must be closed a gun rights group reasonably suggests.
"The Golden Gate Bridge is a proven killer, and media fascination with jumpers is sickening. It has inspired hundreds of people to end their lives. Anyone can simply walk out there and jump, or be pushed. There are no barriers, no waiting in line, and there is nobody assigned to the bridge who can check the mental and emotional history of bridge visitors. It's far easier to walk out on the bridge and jump to your death than it is to purchase a firearm in California. At least when a person buys a gun, he or she must complete a background check and endure a waiting period. But nobody screens possible Golden Gate jumpers. Unlike a gun, you can't even use the bridge to defend
yourself against a criminal.
"The only way to prevent future tragedies," Gottlieb said, "is to close
the bridge. We need to stop the growing body count. It's up to the Board of Supervisors to act, and they should do it immediately. If it saves just one life, closing the Golden Gate Bridge is the right thing to do."
He is absolutely correct. Oh sure, some selfish people would complain but especially in northern California with its reverence for most life forms (not conservatives of course) government authorities should certainly agree with the logic of this thinking. How surprising a law like this hasn't passed until now. Either that, or proof of sanity and lack of termination of life intention should be required from everyone entering the bridge.
Inconvenient? Of course. But to save a life? Certainly most northern Californians, especially the gun banners, would agree. Wouldn't they?
Ethel C. Fenig 2 7 05
