Here we go again. It’s
another horrendous shooting by a mentally unstable individual. And, the gun control advocates awake and
demand stricter laws. This will solve or
mitigate the shootings they say.
There seem to be two camps and rarely do you find someone in
the middle. Or, if they profess to be in
the middle, they are quickly ‘outed’ and are off on a rant. I suppose that I could be one of them. But, it’s hard to sit still and bite your lip
when the subject comes up; a subject in which almost everyone considers
themselves an expert.
I am a current NRA member, as I have previously stated in my
blog; and, admittedly, I am sometimes disappointed with said organization. The NRA seems often incapable of using common
sense. That said, their uncompromising
position generally appeals to their base, and contributes heartily to their
fund raising efforts. Nonetheless, if
called upon to choose sides, I think that I would stand with the NRA. Why?
In my opinion there are two defined sides to this gun
control issue. The NRA, when you cut
through all of the rhetoric, is basically saying that we have plenty of gun
control laws. And, that we just need to
enforce the ones we have. I tend to
agree with that position. Additionally,
the NRA says mental health issues far exceed gun control issues. Furthermore, what about the incredibly
violent video games that are brainwashing our children? And, what about the violent movies that our
children love to watch? And, while we
are at it, what about the breakdown in the family unit, with countless children
being raised in variously fragmented and dysfunctional homes?
OK, you say; but most of those other issues are more
difficult, if not impossible, to solve.
OK, I say that limiting the magazine capacity and access to assorted military-type
semi-automatic guns will accomplish practically nothing. You say, what about additional background
checks on gun purchasers? Actually, I
don’t have a problem with that, but I haven’t seen the details of what has been
proposed. If I want to give a gun to my
son, grandson, nephew or niece, does he or she have to have a background
check? If I want to give or sell a gun
to my neighbor or friend, does he have to have a background check? What about ‘gun shows’ you ask? I have gone a time or two. Most of people looked pretty normal to
me. I’ve never noticed any Hell’s Angels
or Crips perusing the displays. However,
on this particular subject, I am prepared to give some ground. If you are selling guns for profit to people
you don’t know (as occurs at gun shows), then I think those sellers and buyers should
have to go through the same process as is required for a retail gun seller. That makes sense to me. Moreover, the states should make the laws,
not the Federal government.
Listen folks, don’t believe the hogwash put out by
politicians. When violence occurs, like
what Aaron Alexis unleashed on the Washington Navy Yard, our politicians pick
out the easy target; and with shaking geriatric hands fire off a round hoping
that in some way they will not miss the broadside of the barn. And, if they do, they hope no one will
notice. It’s the oldest story in politics;
more laws, less enforcement. Let’s
placate the masses, they submit. These political
platitudes are picked up by thirty-something journalists, and insulated city
folk, as timely, appropriate and unquestionably erudite. As one of my FBI instructors used to say, “balls.”
To be continued…
True Nelson
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