Guns and America

Sadly the last couple of years have been rather busy with lone gunmen shooting up schools, churches, malls, workplaces and just about anywhere else they can. The weapon of choice has been the AR-15 or some sort of semi-automatic rifle based on one or another military assault rifle. They use large capacity magazines and in at least one case a bump stock or trigger crank to increase the rate of fire on these semi-automatic weapons. These events are followed by a national outcry for some sort of gun legislation followed by hand wringing and politicians saying it is too soon to talk about this issue. And of course the obligatory "Thoughts and Prayers". Anymore it seems that thoughts and prayers is Washington DC speak for we are going to do nothing.

There has been no meaningful gun control laws or common sense in the gun debate for the last 40 years. The last real gun law was the Brady Bill that controlled  magazine capacity and civilian styled assault rifles, AR-15's and AK-47's mostly. When that bill expired it has been impossible to have any kind of discussion or legislation about gun control without the NRA and other gun enthusiasts screaming that "they are coming to take away our guns".  The NRA has spent money lavishly to buy off the politicians in both DC and the state capitols. In Idaho alone the four person congressional delegation has received $95,050 over the years they have been in office. They all mention very loudly in their reelection speeches and pamphlets that they are unconditional supporters of the Second Amendment. Hard to get a word in edge wise with that kind of rhetoric.

Then there are those folks that own weapons. If you believe the media and their pollsters, the majority of Americans and gun owners too support some sort of gun control. That said the vocal minority is the only voice the politicians hear. The gun owners and the NRA yell that more people are killed in cars than killed by guns every year. While in numbers that is true, that argument misses the point. Which I believe is what they intend anyway. The last thing these people want is a calm, rational discussion and solution to the issue. Something about a slippery slope, I think.

I don't believe there is a simple or easy solution here but in the present atmosphere it is impossible to even talk about it. Right now the only things you hear are talk of outright bans and abolition or, and this is from the NRA, only a good guy with a gun can stop a bad guy with gun. Just try having a rational discussion when that is the kind of people you are talking with. So, unfortunately the only options left are useless hand wringing and of course thoughts and prayers.