Wading into the gun-law debate is a bit like wading into a gator-filled swamp. It remains one of the top hot-button issues argued about for as long as I have been alive, right up there with abortion and the death penalty.
But now that I have digested a range of information post-Sandy Hook Elementary School, I thought I would offer some observations.
For purposes of transparency:
- I do not own nor have I ever owned a gun — other than toys.
- I have never discharged a firearm.
- I know plenty of people who own and use guns, some for hunting, some for range shooting, some for personal protection and some for all of these things.
- I am not convinced the Second Amendment protects gun possession, at least not at the level it exists today, but I still consider the arguments that support the constitutional protection.
- I have never been threatened by anyone with a gun and pray I never will be.
Now for some thoughts on the gun control debate:
The National Rifle Association essentially shut itself down for four days after the Sandy Hook incident before contributing to the national discussion on guns. It appears that during that time, the NRA leadership consulted with the world’s dumbest public relations practitioners. The powerful lobby’s sole contribution to the gun “discussion” rests in filling our schools with armed guards — an impractical idea with no guarantee that it would prevent another mass killing. That said, I do think that any thoughtful discussion of random acts of violence must include mental health support and the culture of violence we live in — along with guns.
Next, with regard to policy (lawmaking) related to guns, I firmly believe that policy based on exceptions rather than the norm is fraught with problems and often results in bad policy. Rather, we should allow the marketplace and individuals dictate decisions about guns.
Two examples following the Sandy Hook incident: Dick’s Sporting Goods, a huge national chain, announced the suspension of sales of sporting rifles in the aftermath of the massacre; and Cerberus Capital Management, a private equity firm, announced it was putting the Freedom Group up for sale, the company that manufactures the assault rifle used in the killing. Why? The California teachers’ pension fund has $750 million invested with Cerberus. The pension fund administrators raised questions with Cerberus about its ownership of the Freedom Group.
To borrow a line from the NRA, “Government doesn’t solve problems, people do.” The good news: The children who attend Sandy Hook Elementary School went back to school Jan. 3, some 400 of them having survived the worst of “teaching moments,” about senseless killings in a place where kids are supposed to be safe — even without armed guards.
Resources:
- http://www.theblaze.com/stories/…
- http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/…
- http://dealbook.nytimes.com/2012/12/…
- http://journalistsresource.org/studies/government/criminal/…
- http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/21/us/…
- http://firstread.nbcnews.com/…
- http://www.upworthy.com/…
- http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/…
- http://anarchistsoccermom.blogspot.com/…
- http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/20/us/lessons/…
- http://www.upworthy.com/can-we-talk/…
- http://www.upworthy.com/a-military-perspective/…
- http://www.upworthy.com/10-terrifying-facts/…
Throughout the public debate on guns following that tragedy, I never heard one sound argument for the need to own an assault rifle.
While I am not entirely against someone having one of these weapons, there should be more restrictions.
Why is it that members of the military are required to demonstrate proficiency, basic safety knowledge, and store these types of weapons in guarded armories; yet the average gun owner is given free reign over them?
Mike: Thanks for taking the time to visit the site and to post a comment. I find the assault rifle issue perplexing, too. It falls under the "slippery slope" argument, as in "if these get banned, what's next?" Unfortunately, the same argument gets used quite a bit when First Amendment issues arise. And I use it. However, I am not sure it holds as much water when talking about weapons designed simply to kill in fast and furious fashion. And from my vantage point, Sandy Hook and gun control are slipping off the radar. Unfortunate. Best- Mac
I'm glad that the children was able to back at their school after the horrible incident in Sandy Hook Elementary school. I hope that those children were able to overcome whatever trauma they experienced from that incident. Thank you Mac for posting unbiased article.
Thanks for visiting the site and for your comment. And thanks for looking on the positive side, the kids are back in school. Meanwhile, we will see how the "conversation" on guns and violence goes. Best- Mac
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