This kind of boiled over in response to the commentary in a thread on FaceBook. Someone posted a picture that was commenting on the behavior of a politician, and someone else took it to mean that the person was being super pro-gun, and he didn’t like it.
What ensued was an argument on gun control, with people stepping in to scream “More Guns,” and “Guns Bad,” and of course, the ever present “Calm down!”
I think I need to find time to sit down, and start putting my ideas on paper and working through them and such.
One thing, from my perspective, is that we need to do something. Even if we cannot do everything, we need to do what we can.
I don’t think that “taking away all the guns,” is the right answer. Neither is a total free for all.
The problem is that the only time there is any public will to discuss the issue is when something like this happens, and it is in the public eye. The only time there is any political will to talk about the issue is when there is the public will.
Any time something like this does happen though, three factions come forward immediately whose only solid task in the grand scheme of things is to distract from the issue in a three pronged attack, until the public will dissipates (Americans have the attention span of squirrels).
Group one screams from the rooftops “GUN CONTROL, ALL GUNS ARE BAD.”
Group two declares loudly and proudly “IF THERE WERE MORE GUNS THIS WOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED.”
Group three, and they are the most dangerous because they pretend to be the “moderate” and “the voice of reason,” says “WE CAN’T POLITICIZE THIS, IT WOULD BE WRONG! DON’T TALK ABOUT IT!”
The truth is, the moment it happens it is politicized. The truth is, something does need to happen. The truth is that taking away all guns would be just as bad as a free for all.
We do need to talk about it.
We need to talk about it rationally. We need to think it through. We need to look at all the issues, not just the ones that we like.
We need to look at the fact that the second amendment is there for a reason.
We need to look at the fact that there are states where you can’t prevent a diagnosed psychopath form getting a gun.
We need to look at the fact that even in states with reasonable gun laws, there are loopholes.
Background checks, cool down periods, license requirements, and educational requirements: These are all good things. They help to keep the majority of guns out of the hands of idiots and the mentally ill. Ok, maybe it doesn’t keep them out of the hands of idiots, but it helps to make sure they know what they are doing.
People who do things like what happened on Friday are mentally ill in most cases. In most cases they got their guns completely legally. In most cases, no laws were violated until people started to die. This needs to be looked at.
In many cases, the people in question were being treated for various disorders. They were still able to get guns.
In some cases, they got the guns from relatives who had them legally, and just didn’t keep them locked up very well (again, an education issue).
So, yeah, there is an issue that needs to be discussed, and all sides need to bring their ideas to the table.
We need to look at the issue of guns.
We need to look at the state of mental health care in our country.
We need to look at the issue of education on gun ownership AND gun rights.
We need to recognize that the 2nd Amendment serves a purpose, but that it does not impose upon us a duty to ignore the obvious.
For those who are screaming “WE NEED MORE GUNS,” grow up, learn about society, and look around.
For those who are screaming “BAN ALL GUNS,” read a history book. Read the constitution. Learn about what was going on in the lives of the men who wrote the constitution.
For those who are screaming “DON’T POLITICIZE THIS!” Well, you don’t want to be at the table anyway. Either make yourself useful, or stay out of the way.