PROBLEMS SENT FAR FROM HOME

It seems inevitable that gun control legislation the Brady Bill or some form of it will be approved by Congress this year. The mood appears right for the action, former presidents have endorsed the bill and President Bush has, in a backdoor fashion, removed his own opposition. Our problem is not so much with the legislation, which shouldn't bother most gun buyers in this area, but with the attitude we seem to adopt in forwarding such measures.

The Brady Bill would, among other things, mandate a seven-day waiting period before delivery of a purchased handgun; the time would allow a background check of the buyer. Are gun laws like this effective? Some states have reported great success with laws similar to the Brady Bill. New York City, on the other hand, has strict gun control laws and averages six homicides a day, according to an FBI report released Sunday.

The point here is that Congress is being asked to take up measures that could just as effectively and more directly be dealt with on a local basis. If Cape Girardeau had a serious problem with handgun-related crimes, nothing would prevent the local governing body from taking action to address it. The same goes for Missouri and the state General Assembly.

It seems the stickier the problem, the farther away we are willing to send the accountability for its resolution. Is a federal law the answer for all of life's dilemmas?