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It’s like living in rerun
hell. The fact that there will regularly be a
massive shooting by a deranged person with unlimited access to automatic
weapons is now a given. Also a given,
the reaction by politicians and gun rights and gun control advocates
alike. In fact, the three groups seem to
have agreed upon a specific script, which plays out something like this.
Scene A modern, loving caring American community
devastated by gun violence.
The Players The Usual Suspects
The Script
Everyone: Oh this is horrible, how terrible, we must do
something. This must never happen again.
Gun Control Advocates:
It’s the President’s fault, he needs to do something. Why doesn’t he do something. We don’t blame the ‘unlimited guns for
everyone’ crowd who block any type of regulation of fire arms. It’s the fault of those who want regulation,
because they didn’t do anything.
Congress: Let’s let a
few members introduce legislation, when things die down we will kill it.
NRA and its Allies:
Gun control never solved this problem.
We will defeat any legislator who tries to ban our Constitutionally
right to own bazookas, tanks, or cruise missles.
Crazies: Let’s arm
every school teacher and principal. They
can shoot it out with the assassins who invade the school.
Work Arounders: Maybe
we can just control ammunition, limit the number of bullets, sure that will fix
things.
The Victims: (quiet,
they can’t say anything)
The Final Act
The curtain falls as soon as a new story takes it place,
like Lindsey Lohan being arrested. The script
is then put back into the files, to be dusted off and used again and again.
Facetiousness acknowledged, this post leaves out a critical aspect of the gun debate (if it can be called that).
ReplyDeleteGun control proponents will never succeed in any meaningful reform because too many people find gun ownership inextricably linked with protection of the home and family. Notably, "gun ownership" in this context means the right to own big guns - assault rifles and shotguns - that are sufficient to repel even the most vicious hypothetical home invader.
Another comment on cnn.com got my attention. The writer challenged gun control advocates to state what they would do when the "boogeyman" broke into their house with the intent of harming their families. I found it very interesting that the writer used "boogeyman" instead of burglar, intruder, criminal, or psychopath. The boogeyman is imaginary, frightening, and capable of being everywhere at once.
Gun sales are skyrocketing in the wake of Newtown because many people believe that they have to be packing when the next Adam Lanza comes for them or their children. When you tell people who think this way that they should not be able to buy the gun with the biggest magazine on the rack, their reaction will be visceral. They will see you as threatening their family.