By: Michael Eiden

Cory Jones is a minor league baseball player for the St. Louis Cardinals. When Jones isn’t lighting up batters with his fastball, he is polishing targets with his AR-15 at the gun range. Jones offers his views on how to potentially handle gun safety and gun rights in today’s world.

Q:Why are you involved with firearms?

A: I started my passion for firearms about a year and a half ago. I was at a range and I shot a Glock and some type of Smith & Wesson revolver and I just fell in love with the sport. I’ve always loved firearms, but I really never had the opportunity to get involved with them because I was too young.

Q: What is your take on possible rise in price of firearms and ammunition?

I think it will impact crime again. People in low income housing, those are the ones that see crime the most. You won’t see in suburbs crime rates as high as in the city. So those people need more protection: I wouldn’t say more protection, but it really does benefit them to have protection in a city environment because there’s a higher crime rate. 

Q: Why do you believe it is necessary (or unnecessary) to be able to have a concealed license?

A: It’s a good thing to have your concealed license because if you get your license you have do classes to know how to operate your firearm, how to clean it, how to safely handle it and it is a good thing to have. It protects you.

Q: How do you think government can prevent firearms from falling into the wrong hands?

A: It really falls on the citizens [because] I think they should be the one who says; look we will keep it safe [and] we will protect our own firearms. The government is so worried about firearms getting out from theft and unjust ownership of firearms, but it’s really when they come steal firearms that it happens and then they get the guns and they are unregistered and all those firearms are floating around so I think you should protect it and have safes to protect it.

Q: With more firearms bans being proposed, will it help reduce mass shootings?

A: I don’t think it will help reduce mass shootings. Those people, who want to do those crimes, will obtain a firearm either way. They can go on the black market or perhaps steal it if it’s not secure. I don’t think it will because the people, who want to do those crimes, like I said, will do them and they don’t need a firearm to do it. They can easily take a crowbar into a room and hurt everyone in that room. I don’t think the gun control on the on those types of firearms will impact mass shootings at all.

Q: With many of the mass shootings that have occurred over the past couple of years, do you believe law enforcement needs to have a stronger presence in public places?

A: Having law enforcement in schools or any public [place], I think is not a bad idea because they can be really beneficial if someone comes on campus. I think they should be in an undercover-type clothing in case someone comes in they don’t know, “oh there’s the cop. Lets hurt him and then go after other people.” I think they should be in plain clothes and look like a normal staff or student and I think that’s what will really help protect the people in those public environments.