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FROM AP: 1 of 2 fires north of LA contained
If you have something to say...
Say it on the Huffington Post
If you have something to say...
Say it on the Huffington Post
The ability of a minority in the U.S. Senate to block common sense gun violence prevention measures is a victory for the NRA, whose leadership has sided with criminals over the common good of our nation. The Senators who sided with the NRA's leadership have sinned.
Leaders of the Abrahamic faith traditions can do what others cannot. Firm in the belief that human life is sacred, that right is distinct from might and that justice is a supreme value, we call on Americans not to give up on background checks and other sensible restrictions on guns.
Savvy men wear their guns in the house. It's called "home carry." Why should you unstrap that Glock just because you've kissed the wife and kids and hung up your coat? This was a suggestion offered to me recently with complete sincerity.
Fight for more sensible laws regulating firearms we must. We may also need to accept the possibility that we people in the U.S. like to kill each other with guns more than people in many other parts of the world do.
For well over two centuries the Supreme Court never decided that the Amendment granted a constitutional right to individuals to bear arms. The widely held notion that such a right existed was a myth fabricated by the NRA for its own self interest and for the corporate profits of gun manufacturers.
While this legislation is hardly a final answer, it is at least a first step and would demonstrate that our leaders have the backbone to stand up for the American people in the face of opposition and threats from a well-funded and obstinate gun lobby.
The last thing we need are more laws dictating who can bring how much TNT to which sporting events. Criminals are going to find a way to bring them anyway. Heck, you should see the jackets I own.
The leadership of the NRA is exceptionally fond of the Slippery Slope argument. Problem number one with this slide down the fearsome slope is how much weaponry has changed since the days of militias with muskets.
It is our civic and moral duty as Americans, and as people of faith, to reach out to our fellow citizens and to call on our Senators to act. Compassion is not a passive virtue. We are called on by God to give voice to all who have lost loved ones to gun violence. We are called to act.
For the right-wing, shooting must be protected from any restrictions. Voting, however, must be as restricted as possible.
Before the bombings, there were shootings. After the bombings, there'll be more shootings. This one was taped pre-Boston. For all the victims of viole...
Why in heaven's name did we stay on the sidelines; why not share our grief and our tragedy as a warning to everyone that losing a child to senseless gun violence is indescribable? As the saying goes "I wouldn't wish this on my worst enemy."
In the gun debate, the "criminals will get guns and gun deaths will occur no matter what" argument is one that I hear often. There is extensive social science data demonstrating that policy interventions -- namely, regulation -- make for a healthier, safer society.
Mass shootings are heartbreaking and tragic, but they are not as prevalent as the killings that occur daily across American inner cities. Politicians seem to only focus on high-profile tragedies when they are presented with a public demand to get something done that might actually benefit the American people.
