My first reaction to the killing of a cop and a civilian in Texas by a man armed with an automatic gun was disbelief. First Colorado, then Wisconsin, and now this, all in a space of weeks. This can't be happening, I thought. Are we turning into a nation of trigger-happy psychopaths? I really hope not.
But hope is not enough; it's time for Americans to act on gun control.
My first blog on this topic, "Why Gun Control is Patriotic," debunked the myth that it is un-American to want gun control. The second, "It's Time to Challenge the Second Amendment," dealt with the twisted interpretation of the Second Amendment by the NRA and the far right. Based on the responses, I want to put some wrong notions to rest and recommend actions that we can take to deal with this mess.
The Technicalities of Assault/Automatic/Semi-Automatic Weapons Matter
There is a lot of quibbling over which weapons should be available to private citizens and which should be banned. I know there are vast differences between different types of guns, but when it comes to deadly weapons, nuances don't matter. We are not talking about complex financial instruments here, but things that are used to kill people. If the real purpose of guns, as ratified by the Supreme Court, is defense of one's home, then anything that can be used to fire dozens of rounds a minute, accommodate high-capacity clips of ammunition, or spray bullets, should not be in the hands of civilians. Period. There are no legitimate uses for such weapons in civilian life, regardless of whether you need to pull the trigger once or multiple times. So stop the quibbling and let's agree on something reasonable on this front.
Guns are no different than Box Cutters or Airplanes
Someone remarked that since box cutters and airplanes have both been used as weapons, should we impose controls on those as well? First of all, the primary purpose of box cutters is to open boxes and airplanes are used mainly to transport people over long distances; the fact that they have been used as weapons just demonstrates the perversion of the human mind. Guns, on the other hand, have only one purpose, which is to hurt or kill another living being, and so there is no comparison between those things. We regulate drugs, alcohol, driving, and even airplanes, so why should we not regulate guns?
Recovery of Existing Guns is Impossible
It's true that even if we restrict gun ownership today, we cannot reclaim all the guns that are already out there (there are currently 88.8 firearms per 100 people in America, which translates to more than 270 million guns). But that doesn't mean we can't try. One method might be for the government to offer tax incentives to gun manufacturers to re-purchase guns, and to individuals to surrender their weapons. Such incentives would mitigate the costs to the gun industry, put money into the pockets of gun owners, and benefit society as a whole. It's not a perfect solution but even if it nets a portion of the guns, it's worth it. And whether we can get the existing guns back or not, let's at least stop putting more out on the streets. As they say, when you are in a hole, first stop digging!
Most Gun Owners are Law Abiding Citizens
Yes, but so what? The condition for gun ownership cannot just be adherence to the law, but possible use. To take an example, a sane and law-abiding citizen does not need the type of rifle used by the Colorado shooter or a high-capacity clip to protect their home or hunt for deer. If they actually try to secure such items, then it is necessary to question their motives, and if we need to do that, do we really want such people having access to deadly weapons? Again, this problem can be solved by restricting the availability of certain weapons across the board.
Federal Gun Laws violate State Rights
If the people of a state want easy access to guns, why should the federal government impose its own standards on them? The answer is simple: guns purchased in a state are often transported to other states, where they wind up in the hands of criminals, impacting the entire nation. These 'straw-man' sales, which Mayor Bloomberg has been trying to stop for a decade, are a huge problem, forcing states to pay for the irresponsibility of their neighbors. That is why the federal government must create uniform gun laws, regardless of what individual states want. It is not a question of states' rights but a question of the common right of all Americans to be safe.
More Guns make Everyone Safer
The familiar logic goes that if everyone is armed, then no one can pull off a mass shooting since someone in the crowd will probably shoot them within seconds. People who suggest this are either in denial or just ignorant. Let's say that you are sitting at a restaurant eating your beef steak and downing your third glass of wine when a gunman walks in and starts spraying bullets around the place. Even if you are not too drunk or too well fed to recognize what is actually happening, the odds of your successfully a) Having the presence of mind to react, b) Retrieving your weapon, c) Taking the Safety off, and d) Aiming accurately and firing -- all the while ducking bullets -- are extremely low to none. More likely than not you will shoot one of your fellow patrons and compound the tragedy. Vigilantism is not a sustainable model for a peaceful society. We need less guns out there, not more.
So what is our government doing to address this problem? Nothing. Gun control is such political dynamite that no one wants to touch it. But that excuse is lousy, especially now. The recent shootings are a clear call for action on gun reform, and if our leaders have any backbone, they will get into it. I don't have any hope for Romney (who always evades the issue) and certainly not Ryan (who is a gun lover himself) but President Obama should do something.
If we are going to take aim at anything, then let it be at America's unhealthy obsession with guns and at the empty arguments against gun control, not at common sense.
Sanjay Sanghoee is the author of two thriller novels. Please visit www.sanghoee.com for more details and updates.
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"shall not be infringed"
What is so hard about that?
wanna tell me again how its illegal for me to own a fully automatic machine gun....
Guns Forever, mackchinegun!
PS: thanks for the stat on Japan. I passed that on to the families of the victims in Aurora and the Sikh Temple and they all said words to the effect of, "I feel fine now. A dozen shot dead here, a half dozen shot dead there. No big deal." Thanks for the healing information, mackchinegun.
More guns for Japan! Shoot your way out of your crime problem, Japan! East meets Wild Wild West!
http://www.chron.com/news/article/Philly-officer-fatally-shot-after-finishing-shift-3797888.php
And another:
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/08/16/2-louisiana-sheriffs-deputies-killed-in-shootout/
To he ll with prevention. Shoot outs are the answer to crime.
More guns now! NRA forever! Wayne LaPierre for President.
Exercise keeps the mind and body strong.
Carry on. ;o)
Darn police need to turn in their weapons since they have no legitimate use...
They are a CIVILIAN force you know.. If one breaks the law he is tried in a civilian court, not a military court and, as you say..
What solution do you have to the elderly being attacked by the young? The few robbed by the many. The strong over powering the weak?
Until then there is no better tool on the planet that gives a 90 year old woman a CHANCE against a mugger.
If you think that defending your life or your family any given night is SOMEONE ELSE's job, then you are sadly mistaken.
How you would deal with the CONSEQUENCES of you magically getting your way. You think it will all be unicorns and fairy dust afterwards.. Instead it will be all clubs, knives and fists.. (Just ask England about their VIOLENCE rate..)
Finally.. Let me put it simply so you can understand what so many dance around saying..
You CANNOT come get them. Law or not... It is impossible for the simple reason that we will not go along but long before that.
We are better financed than you.
We are better organized than you.
We CARE more than you and can be SINGLE ISSUE voters.
Unlike you.
Guns: Allowing a 100lb woman to fend off a 250lb attacker since 1400AD
Once again, Roadie, excellent post.
That would certainly explain why my disabled wife carries a gun now, after being beaten and raped. Not. Considering how childish your attitude is, calling others "little boys" is ironic.
"Cuiusvis hominis est errare; nullius nisi insipientis in errore perseverare"
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NRA to America: Guns sales! Yummy! Let's keep this party (and the gun sales) going!
This is not going to be in any kind of chronological order, but I just did a new search with the key words: "armed stops killer". You can also use: "armed... man/ woman/ citizen... stops/ defends/ saves".
[As reported, an 82 year old woman from Sierra Vista, Arizona used her handgun to stop an attacker who was trying to beat her to death with her own cane.
The woman was reportedly walking to her car in a Wal-Mart parking lot when a man walked up to her and stated “This is your day. You are too old to be alive anyway,” before grabbing her can and beating her with it. The elderly lady was reportedly grabbed her self defense gun from her purse and fired, missing the attacker but causing him to flee. The woman was reportedly hospitalized for a few days, due to the injuries she received from the cane beating, but but suffered no permanent injuries. A suspect, reportedly identified as Stephen Prickett, was apprehended shortly after the attack and faces multiple charges including attempted murder, according to police.]
http://www.learnaboutguns.com/2010/03/22/armed-82-year-old-woman-stops-would-be-killer/
Or new religions like Mormanism.
Keep trying....
Thankfully, gun control is thoroughly unpopular in all but the most extreme circles. Few citizens and even fewer politicians care about gun control. In fact, there are more Americans who believe in UFOs than there are Americans who think we need more gun control.
"By calling attention to a well-regulated militia for the security of the Nation, and the right of each citizen to keep and bear arms, our founding fathers recognized the essentially civilian nature of our economy. Although it is extremely unlikely that the fear of governmental tyranny, which gave rise to the 2nd amendment, will ever be a major danger to our Nation, the amendment still remains an important declaration of our basic military-civilian relationship, in which every citizen must be ready to participate in the defense of his country. For that reason I believe the 2nd Amendment will always be important." -- John F. Kennedy
When seconds count, the 1st Air Cavalry is hours away.
Long live the NRA.