It's Guns Again.....Why?
It’s Guns Again………Why?
It doesn’t make sense! The killing of two in Virginia, by a crazed gunman? Once again the tender nerves of the country are stretched to the breaking point. What can we do to stop this pointless violence? Does the National Rifle Association (NRA) have to take the responsibility for the killing? Is it the duty of the Government to step in and take charge by removing guns from people? What about the constitution? Why is it so difficult to make a decision?
In order to properly address these issues, we need to understand some basic realities:
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Guns do not kill people.
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“Crazy” people with guns kill people.
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Irresponsible people, who allow children to find and play with guns, are liable for killing people
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Accidents with guns kill people.
So what is the answer? How do we deal with guns?
Maybe we need to look elsewhere for examples of how to handle the issue. A case in point is the automotive industry. Although the death rate in cars matches the death rate with guns, no one is trying to take away cars. The emphasis is on making safer cars, and making everyone wear a safety belt. There seems to be a strong consensus which shows that 50% more people die in accidents when they are not wearing their seat belts. Mostly the driver is the concern. DWI now holds very demanding penalties, while texting is constantly denigrated. Roads are also constantly worked on, and our highways allow for driving safely throughout the country.
Could it not be, then, that as with cars, so with guns? We need to stop trying to take guns away, but “fix” the people with guns. We can only do this if we stop trying to find scapegoats, and put the responsibility squarely on the shoulders of the person who owns the gun.
The government has a problem here. Whether the constitution is broadly interpreted, or narrowly defined, it does not allow the government to takes guns away, especially with force. Regardless of the interpretation of the Constitution, the 2nd Amendment was voted in because of the historical evidence of the Revolutionary war. The country was born out of hatred and suspicion of abusive government. That attitude still pervades throughout the country, and limiting gun usage exacerbates that distrust.
The apparent constitutional guardians of the 2nd Amendment, the NRA, might want to look closer at what is happening, and working with owners to “drive safely.” This is a very sticky wicket, but merely wanting to be “Constitutional protectors,” while turning their backs on the reality of what is happening is not working.
We all know that there are a number of systems in place now. Background checks are enforced by the government. Are they always done? Not if some can get by without it, as evidence indicates. Many children are conscientiously guided and taught by their parents on how to treat and handle weapons. This is encouraged by the NRA, but again, not fool proof.
Maybe we need to realize that there is no “silver bullet” here (pun intended). As long as we are free Americans, we need to walk along this path with responsibility and treat those who abuse our freedoms with the fullest extent of the law. Anything else is merely politics, and playing that game is ultimately more deadly because nothing really gets done.