LETTERS: Complete handgun ban would prevent US-level child deaths

Sir: Rarely have I read such sanctimonious twaddle as in your leader calling for the banning of all handguns (17 October).

The hysteria over pit-bull-type dogs resulted in bad law, unnecessary cruelty and an infringement of civil liberties. Hysteria over Dunblane is likely to result in infringement of civil liberties and no guarantee that a similar tragedy will not occur. If the legislation results in gun ownership going underground the dangers may even be increased.

There is no protection against the actions of a seriously deranged person.

A far more interesting question is why Hamilton was so excluded from society that his problems were not addressed.

We consider the freedom to drive a car worth the price of hundreds of dead children.

It is not clear that a single child's life will be saved by a state monopoly on handguns, yet important freedoms will be infringed.

SIMON J ELLIS

Stone,

Staffordshire.