MEMO FROM TO: TX

J. LEDERBERG br, Perr RC
GENETICS DEPARTMENT RO

STANFORD UNIVERSITY
STANFORD, CALIFORNIA

JUL 14 1970

The arguments for stringent control of
féerearms seem to me inescapable. I do not
favor psychiatric-swearing, but do believe
that the underlying motives of those who have
hindered such legislation call for careful
analysis. (However, I also feel it is point-
less to swear at what we regard as social
paranoia; we do better to try to think of
the therapeutic measures by which we can ackn
complish constructa@ve change. )

 

Why guns? I simply could npt think of
a more apt example; snd I try hard to be an
anti-escapist, i.e., to project complex and
abstract issues back on to the realities of
contemporary existence. You may be interes-
ted in some other examples of this in the
writings enclosed. And of course I was exer-
cised by the traumatic incidents of recent
history.

a uv
I could have used dynamite just as well,or
a thousand others.

Perhaps a psychiatric group could make a
further contribution by studying and repor-
ting on the foreseeable side-effects (mostly
favorable in my view) of gun control legisla-
tion. For example, I think your statement
might have stressed how the prevalence of guns
makes for half accidental, hatf-intended
homicides out of quarrels and angers that
might have been siw self-limited otherwise.

Sincerely,

eco! ay Wie