In the aftermath of Orlando, this is what millions of people in America are thinking ...
I am thinking it too.
In my decades on this planet the same issue with gun violence and how to solve it has come up again and again. We have yet to solve it, and millions of people are beginning to despair of ever solving it.
I have hoped for a long time that cool heads would work out reasonable legislation that would balance our 2nd amendment rights against the needs of citizens in a civilized society to be protected from gun violence. It hasn't happened. At times it appeared to be happening, but that was a temporary illusion.
For the record, I support the right of law-abiding, mentally stable citizens over 18 to own guns for self-protection and for hunting. I also firmly believe that gun ownership carries with it an awesome responsibility to maintain gun safety and security, and to ensure this happens I support licensing and registration of guns, just as we do for cars.
Many will disagree with my last statement, and that's OK, as long as we talk about the problem and seek a working solution. I don't think unregulated gun sales and unlimited carry laws do anything to solve the problem, but you may think differently. I think very few of the mass shootings would have gone differently if many in the crowds were 'packing heat', but some of you may think they would have. I believe that unlimited gun availability leads to many more impulse killings than would otherwise occur, but you might think those impulses might have been as easily satisfied with a knife or a bat.
I may think you are misguided and you might think that of me.
But none of that matters as much as speaking about solutions rather than continually arguing the problem. If both sides continue to block each other to the point of nothing happening, there WILL be an increasing call for total gun ban and a change to the 2nd amendment.
There will, because people just want someone to Make It Stop, and so far nobody has.
I am thinking it too.
In my decades on this planet the same issue with gun violence and how to solve it has come up again and again. We have yet to solve it, and millions of people are beginning to despair of ever solving it.
I have hoped for a long time that cool heads would work out reasonable legislation that would balance our 2nd amendment rights against the needs of citizens in a civilized society to be protected from gun violence. It hasn't happened. At times it appeared to be happening, but that was a temporary illusion.
For the record, I support the right of law-abiding, mentally stable citizens over 18 to own guns for self-protection and for hunting. I also firmly believe that gun ownership carries with it an awesome responsibility to maintain gun safety and security, and to ensure this happens I support licensing and registration of guns, just as we do for cars.
Many will disagree with my last statement, and that's OK, as long as we talk about the problem and seek a working solution. I don't think unregulated gun sales and unlimited carry laws do anything to solve the problem, but you may think differently. I think very few of the mass shootings would have gone differently if many in the crowds were 'packing heat', but some of you may think they would have. I believe that unlimited gun availability leads to many more impulse killings than would otherwise occur, but you might think those impulses might have been as easily satisfied with a knife or a bat.
I may think you are misguided and you might think that of me.
But none of that matters as much as speaking about solutions rather than continually arguing the problem. If both sides continue to block each other to the point of nothing happening, there WILL be an increasing call for total gun ban and a change to the 2nd amendment.
There will, because people just want someone to Make It Stop, and so far nobody has.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment