I’m sick of watching what has become of our country. Mass slaughtering reduced to biblical
rhetoric of good vs. evil, with responses of tougher immigration laws if the
murderer is anyone of middle eastern descent and “thoughts and prayers” for the
victims and their families if the assault is committed by a Caucasian nut
job.
Good vs. evil. “May
God be with you,” offered to the Texas town of the church shootings. In a church of worship! Where was God at that moment? How can these incidents be reduced to the
simplistic good vs. evil?
It plays into our psyche of “good guys” coming to the
rescue, the rationalization that MORE guns are needed by the “good guys” to
offset those carried by the “bad guys.” Where
is the Lone Ranger when you need him?
Even better, Superman! The Texas Attorney
General suggested that churches should consider armed worshipers. This is a solution?
Let’s get serious about gun control once and for all. If we had more restrictive gun ownership
legislation after the University of Texas tower shooting in 1966, where would
we be today? It has to start sometime,
and the moment has arrived to ban assault weapons. Go a step further and require registration of
weapons as we do motor vehicles. Provide
a government cash bounty for anyone turning in an assault weapon for a period
of time, no questions asked. Anyone in
possession of such a weapon after the bounty period is breaking the law.
This does not nullify the 2nd amendment, but
it brings it more into alignment with today’s weapon technology which the
founding fathers could have never imagined.
If the NRA doesn’t like it, let them own muskets, the weapon of choice
when the amendment was enacted.
Our gun violence and lax gun laws are the worst of developed
countries. Many other countries just ban gun ownership and their lack of gun
violence verses ours reflect that and cultural values as well.
And, please, the false equivalency argument of they’ll
use trucks instead, so why shouldn’t we ban trucks is specious (as those who
make the argument know). Any politician
who can say that with a straight face ought to be run out of office. But as the
Texas massacre takes place on the heels of the horrid truck terrorist attack in
Manhattan, NRA apologists are quick to make that facetious case.
Trump responded to the Texas massacre saying “I think
that mental health is your problem here. We have a lot of mental health
problems in our country, as do other countries. But this isn’t a guns
situation.” Yes, mental health problems
need to be simultaneously addressed, but it IS a guns “situation” as well. And why did he genuflect to the NRA,
rescinding a regulation that makes it harder for people with mental illness histories
to purchase guns?
Our “leaders” must offer more than condolences and prayers
to the thousands and thousands of families who have been impacted by gun
violence and those who will be victims in the future.
