I’m not a cynical person, but I found myself inwardly expressing a sense of cynicism when yet another call went out for thoughts and prayers and vigils for victims of three more gun massacres by young men fueled by a hatred of humanity, emboldened by a fear mongering president and enabled by lawmakers who refuse to pass reasonable gun regulations. There is value in a community coming together to mourn the senseless loss of life and to encourage and find strength in the resolve of one another to move on. I know this from last year when my community was the victim. But my thoughts have moved to the need for change. And my prayers have taken on the nature of “Lord, have mercy on us and help us change our ways.” I don’t want more vigils; I want protests. In particular, I’m calling out “Massacre Mitch” also known as “Moscow Mitch” who is the U.S. senate majority leader who blocks protections of our elections and any form of gun control.
Since these shootings, I’ve emailed Massacre Mitch several times and tried calling his office (but lines were overcrowded). I’m glad that citizens have put enough pressure on him so that he will at least now consider passing some form of gun legislation aimed at background checks. That is a start, but it doesn’t go far enough.
The Second Amendment is confusing and has been interpreted in different ways throughout our history. It reads, “A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed. ” Times today are different than they were in 1791 when this Amendment was ratified. The question is whether or not normal citizens who are not part of a militia should be allowed to possess military style weapons without any sort of “regulation”? The thing is, we the people have the right to demand that our lawmakers pass laws that protect the general welfare, especially when it is evident that the status quo isn’t working on our behalf.
I would like to return to the ban on assault weapons. I would also like there to be full background checks, safety licensing, and insurance attached to gun ownership. These are common sense restrictions that any reasonable person who cares about public safety should agree to. We require safety licencing and insurance to drive a car because we understand it is important to keep people safe. Shouldn’t the same be true of owning a lethal weapon like a gun?
As for those who already own assault weapons, I think the government should buy them back and either give them to the military or destroy them. What we can’t allow is for them to remain in the hands of local gangs, gangsters, white nationalist groups, and angry men. True hunters don’t need these guns to hunt. For those gun enthusiasts who enjoy the experience of shooting assault weapons for fun, make them available at shooting ranges where they must remain under strict protection.
The time is past due for Americans to do something drastic about our perverted love affair with guns. We are turning ourselves into prisoners who are afraid to go to the movies, places of worship, concerts, schools, parks, malls, festivals, and even work. The very fabric of our society is being destroyed. The root of the problem might be hatred, resentment, anger and some say, mental illness, but the assess to guns makes it too easy to turn those problems into suicide and murder. The time has come to be truly pro-life and only vote in lawmakers who support sensible gun regulation. These politicians should be earning an “F” rating from the NRA and gun lobby. In the meantime, the pressure has to remain on Massacre Mitch and Trump to pass new gun legislation even if it is only for background checks as a start.
I wish there was major $$$ fill (as opposed to NRA $$$) for ALL politicians to take up every one of your ideas. National computer network registries that track gun & ammo sales to a single purchaser should also, by law, be fully utilized on behalf of public safety. Recently, it was revealed that Opioids could actually be “tracked” from mfg. to each pharmacy. Domestic Terrorists can now be tracked, as Foreign Terrorists are. Change needs to come faster. Massacre Mitch & the WH “Genius” need to go. My thought. My prayer.