Opinion | Gun Control & 2A
They are not mutually exclusive
Greetings Friends,
The past few weeks have been busy, culminating in a Memorial Day family gathering this past Sunday. So, of course, I had to do normal things like cleaning, shopping, and cooking when preparing for a party. But, nothing felt normal, and the party seemed inappropriate.
The mass shootings in Buffalo, Uvalde, and now in Chattanooga and Tulsa have ripped away (once again) my false sense of security. Because let's face it: these horrific acts that are becoming so commonplace can easily happen anywhere. I used to think that violent crime mainly occurred in urban areas, but that's no longer true. With the opioid epidemic and loss of jobs, serious crime has found its way into small towns and farm countries. However, unlike other types of gun violence, mass shootings don't appear to have any predictable motive.
There's a cycle to these tragedies that I experience each time, probably similar to what you feel. First, there's absolute disbelief and shock, followed by rage, then grief, and, over time, a slow return to normalcy.
But, what is normalcy for this world we're living in today?
When I compare it to the world I grew up in, it's hardly recognizable. In those days, we trusted our government and various agencies to keep us safe. Everything from our food, water, environment, and various industries that make up modern life. We respected law enforcement and military personnel to protect us from the bad actors, domestic and abroad. We believed in science and education.
I'm trying to figure out what changed that resulted in so much distrust, anger, and mental illness. I suspect it's a combination of many things occurring over a long period, none of which I'll go into here.
I just need to acknowledge these victims...these children, before I write about other things. Innocent people whose lives were ended by another's anger. Because many folks suffer from mental illness but never harm others. So, there must be a component of anger, right? And a therapist once told me that anger and fear are similar emotions. There’s a lot to unpack regarding individuals who have conditions with the potential for violence. And if there’s anger and fear simmering below the surface what finally triggers that into actual rage against innocent people?
I'm all for expanded background checks and red flag laws. I also believe the moratorium on gun research is a joke. Since when does a country like the United States no longer value proven data and statistics? (Okay, so I know “alternate facts” were popular for a while, but it's old news like the woman who coined the term.)
We have to ask ourselves: who doesn't want us to be more informed? And why not?
The Monday after Thanksgiving is the first day of Buck Season in my neck of the woods. It's like a holiday itself, with school closed for an additional day. That's how it was when I was a kid, and it remains the same today. Of course, you'd never catch me shooting Bambi's father or any other animal on this planet. But I understand the importance of preventing the overpopulation of deer and that some folks rely on the meat as a staple item in their freezers during the fall and winter months.
I would never take a gun away from any law-abiding citizen who has no known history of crimes, violence, or mental illness. But, whether they want to hunt or protect their property, gun ownership should be an option with sensible regulations to protect the owner and those around him.
However, determining that requires a careful examination of their background, which may take a longer period than what we have today. If our system for checking that background is outdated or doesn’t work well then we need to invest in the best technology to make it efficient. People wanting to own guns should be schooled in safe storage and how to keep them out of the hands of children. We also need to require training and licensing. Can you imagine giving a car to someone whose never driven before and sending them out on the road?
And aren’t these changes, these inconveniences as some folks call them, worth human lives? This issue should be dealt with bipartisan support instead of one side blaming everything except the proliferation and lax gun laws. In Texas, Governor Abbott bragged about getting laws passed that allowed 18-year-olds to buy weapons without any licensing or training in the handling of those weapons. I’ve known more than a few 18-year-olds in my day and this is total insanity. Their brains haven’t finished developing and they’re still trying to figure out what constitutes “manliness.” They’re deemed too irresponsible to buy alcohol, but an AR-15 is okay? Seriously?
I can't stop thinking about the latest murders occurring in large and small communities across our country and all the ones before them. Schools, movie theaters, Walmarts, and hospitals. Ordinary people going about their day doing normal things. Then suddenly, it's no longer ordinary, and normalcy explodes in the sound of gunshots.
The sense of helplessness is overwhelming. My inclination when something unjust occurs is to make it right. We’ve tried thoughts & prayers and it doesn’t work. We can write, call, and email our representatives locally and in Washington. We can march and protest peacefully. We can talk to our families, neighbors, coworkers, etc. There’s much we CAN do, but what we must NOT do is let these fellow humans die in vain (again.)
I don’t believe that any ONE effort will solve the problem. It’s going to require a lot of time, money, and changes in MANY areas to begin to resolve the failures that got us here. But we must start NOW. And you and I have to keep fighting.
These days, when I walk into a public space, I automatically look for an escape route or somewhere to hide; just in case. I pay attention to the people around me, checking their faces for some sign of...something. Because it can happen to you and me as much as the next guy. And at the rate that these mass shootings are increasing, so are our chances of becoming the next round of victims.
Unless we do something to change that.