Guns (Out Of) Control

photo by Julie Ellis / flickr

Well, here we are again. Another shooting. And another. And another. And yet another. How many of our citizens have been snuffed out just in the last year or so? How many funeral have been held? How many families have been torn asunder?

Nobody in their right minds would even advocate getting rid of all of our guns. It isn’t going to happen. But can’t we do something about this problem. We Americans have always been a Can-Do people. Have we changed? I thought after Sandy Hook when 20 school children and 6 adults were mowed down that something would be done. I thought when eight of our citizens were killed in a church in Charleston that something would change. And this was followed by Orlando and others. No change. Then there was the worst shooting in our history in Las Vegas when 58 of our brothers and sisters lay dead and 500 others hurt or wounded. Still no change.

photo courtesy of KUTAustin-90.5FM
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And now—this little tiny church in Texas that will never be the same again where 26 of their members were killed and 20 others wounded. Eight members of one family gone forever. And our response? We wring our hands and mutter that must do something. But we don’t act.

Our President barely mentioned guns when he talked once again about the grief of these shootings. We needed more mental health facilities, he said. He said this was a mental problem period. Tell that to the counselors and psychologists that have found their funds whittled down and down. Tell that to all the Mental Health Centers scattered across the nation. They open their doors to help everybody. They tell us their funds are drying up. Read this new proposed budget.

 KUTAustin / flickr

Two suggestions. You’ve heard these before. We need more gun control. We need to know who buys a weapon. If a man is dismissed from the service, has assaulted his wife and almost killed his step-child should he buy a gun. Our President recently signed a proclamation allowing people with mental problems to buy guns. We need gun registration that tighten the restrictions in those who buy guns. Why can’t we stop the buying of weapons on the Internet. 

We need legislators that have enough courage to do something besides mouthing: “our thoughts and prayers are with you..” If these that serve us were really serious about the common good and genuinely cared for all those who have been killed and their loved ones—this sad picture could change. Let’s quit giving the NRA such power.  They and their cadre of lobbyists do not represent the health and well-being of our country. More than a few of our legislators have sold their souls for yet another vote and another four or six years. Every 15 minutes someone in  our nation will die of gun violence. So why can’t we do something about these dangerous weapons that were designed for war. We don’t allow citizens to buy tanks or flame throwers. 

photo by Julie Ellis / flickr

We need to do something about gun dealers. Background checks should mean something. We need gun owners—good decent people—to stand with all those who have lost someone through gun violence. We need to change our laws to say that every gun salesman will be held responsible for those he/she sells guns to. They should be charged with accessory to murder when they have not followed even the barest of restrictions today and sell weapons to those who have no business handling a gun. I wonder if any of these who sell weapons have any idea that they have contributed to the blood bath in this country.

What we do not need is the foolish idea that cleverly citizens should be armed. We have fine policeman whose salaries we pay to help keep us safe. If we don’t have enough—we should hire more. We do not need guards standing at church house doors and we certainly do not need Pastors who claim to follow the Prince of Peace packing on Sunday while they preach. Arming teachers in our schools? Ludicrous. 

Our crisis reminds me of something the Russian Poet Yevtushenko wrote years ago. Knowing the injustices and inaction of the leaders in his homeland he wrote: “Remember how in so strange a time common integrity could look so much like courage.” Common integrity—this is the great need of our time from all of us.

We seem to have forgotten common integrity these days. We need a recommitment to the values that our forebears dreamed just might be possible in this new land. Let’s quit this crazy notions that if we restrict some of our gun laws that we will be turned into a jungle. We are not far from that now. We really have been a can-do people. Let’s do it once again as we tackle this most serious of problems: gun control.

photo by KUT Austin /flickr


--Roger Lovette / rogerlovette.blogspot.com