Please, Mr. Representative! Stay Back at Least 1,000 Feet!

Representative Peter King (R-NY) is concerned about his personal safety, given the recent shooting in Tucson that left Rep. Gabrielle Giffords so grievously injured and six lesser lights, at least in Rep. King's eyes, dead. He suggestions a solution: that "high profile government officials," be encircled 24/7 by a protective bubble within which no citizen could lawfully possess a firearm.

I can appreciate Rep. King's concern for his personal safety and that of his colleagues. At some level and at some times the same concerns attach to even the most humble of us.

However, there is a simpler way for Rep. King to reap whatever benefit he sees from such a 1,000 foot restriction, one that inconveniences far fewer people and steps on no constitutional toes at all.

I suggest that Mr. King revise the focal point of his bill. Rather than limiting gun owners, on whom large segments of society depend for safety whether they know it or not, Mr. King should restrict the activities of the protectees, high profile government officials such as himself. The inconvenience would affect a much smaller group, just a few hundred or thousand or million, whatever he wants to define as "high profile." To protect himself, or at least his feelings of security, Mr. King and the other members of this elite club would be required by his law to stay away from any citizens either carrying, or who might reasonably be thought to possibly be carrying, firearms.

That way, everyone's happy. Mr. King has his bubble and society has its citizen protectors.