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U.S. needs a talk about gun control
Published 9:57am Friday, December 14, 2012I know this letter will probably confirm me as being a commie-pinko (a badge I wear proudly since my Dad bestowed that name on me many moons ago), but I have to ask: When are we finally going to have a serious discussion about guns. I have never believed in the so-called right to bear arms as has been pursued relentlessly by the NRA? I understand the culture of hunting wildlife, but I grew up in Los Angeles where holidays were “celebrated” in crowded neighborhoods by shooting off guns into the air and the culture of “hunting” human life.
I had a brother-in-law who once taunted me with what I call a six-shooter (sorry about my ignorance). Visiting my sister one day three decades ago he pulled out this gun from under his chair and offered it to me, knowing my fear of guns. When I demurred he said that I needn’t worry: “There were no bullets in the gun.” I continued to demur as he emptied the bullets from the gun while he laughed at my wimpiness.
We have seen too many shootings and accidents over the last week, let alone the last many years, that I believe it’s time we started talking about the proliferation of handguns, assault guns and multi-bullet clips whose only purpose is to injure and kill as many people as possible in the least time as possible. We only need to look at Oregon, Aurora and Virginia Tech to name just a few. The NRA keeps telling us that we can’t have any restrictions on guns or bullets because of the Second Amendment. I don’t think the founders had envisioned the types of weapons that were built for war, not for hunting or protecting one’s home.
But I think responsible hunters know full well that these weapons are not useful in hunting, and it is you who I ask to start the conversation. We need better registration laws to prevent criminals and mentally unbalanced persons from getting guns, a ban on assault weapons and their concomitant multi-bullet clips, requirement that gun shows register the guns they sell and other sensible guns laws that a civil society should live by. None of these requests will stop all illegal gun sales but if we can start the conversation maybe we can stop many of these senseless killings.
Patti Kimble
Emmons
Well Patti…………I have to agree your Dad is right!
The conversation has been extremely sided and I quote:
“Banning guns addresses a fundamental right of all Americans to feel safe.”
–U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein Associated Press 11/18/93
“”If I could have gotten 51 votes in the Senate of the United States for an out right ban,
picking up every one of them… “Mr. and Mrs. America, turn ‘em all in,
“I would have done it. I could not do that. The votes weren’t here.”
–U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), CBS-TV’s “60 Minutes,” 2/5/95
Now fastforward…………2012
Democratic party platform
Firearms. We recognize that the individual right to bear arms is an important part of the American tradition, and we will preserve Americans’ Second Amendment right to own and use firearms. We believe that the right to own firearms is subject to reasonable regulation. We understand the terrible consequences of gun violence; it serves as a reminder that life is fragile, and our time here is limited and precious. We believe in an honest, open national conversation about firearms. We can focus on effective enforcement of existing laws, especially strengthening our background check system, and we can work together to enact commonsense improvements – like reinstating the assault weapons ban and closing the gun show loophole – so that guns do not fall into the hands of those irresponsible, law-breaking few.
Then this……….
Dianne Feinstein’s legal staff held meetings on Friday with FTB/ATF legal staff to discuss a new “Assault Weapons Ban” Madame Feinstein would be looking to push through Congress if President Obama wins reelection.
This same “pretty good intelligence” says the items that would lead to a ban would ban pistol grips and “high-capacity” magazines, eliminate any grandfathering and ban sales of “weapons in possession”.
The law “would essentially ban thousands of firearms and require gun owners to turn them over to the Federal Government.
Not much of a two way conversation sounds to me more like a dictatorship.
So the question is why infringe on the rights of the majority when the problem is the minority but that is the progressive way blame an object instead of the person.
A more effective method would to register the people who are unbalanced and criminals Ohhh crap…some of that has been done already but that is ineffective how about making them wear GPS collars so they can be tracked at all times. Then somebody needs to monitor the people that need to be monitored then somebody needs to monitor the monitors can somebody say Hello 1984!
Just one more thing who is going to protect us the average citizen against an ever growing heavy handed soviet style form of government? Because this is not what the founding fathers envisioned.
It’s truly tragic that these incidents happen but they do should we ban cars, booze, the death toll from these are far higher?
Randy, have you seen today’s news; another 18 children and 8 adults are killed in an elementary school. Is no place sacred any more. How many more have to die before people like you begin to see that unfettered gun ownership is a scourge on a civilized society.
I think the ideas I put forward in my letter are reasonable, according to the NRA, nothing that restricts gun ownership is reasonable. So, it appears more Americans will be killed by madmen because they will be allowed to obtain all the guns they want and of course all the ammunition in multi-round magazines and you can still look at yourself in the mirror because you know that you’re right.
Not when I posted the TV was off….
What happened today is beyond tragic my heart and prayers go out to these people these are the actions of a mad man that is truly evil. It seems there were some security measures present but it is way to early to pass judgement on anything.
The focus should be the parents and kids right now.
I am praying for the parents and all others in Newtown CT, but now is the time to talk about changing gun laws. There will never be a “good” time to talk about it and we must all urge our representatives to institute good laws.
I had 2 relatives that were killed by drunk drivers in two differant states, so as long as the ban wagon is going i say ban alcohol!
No amount of gun control will stop the actions of a crazed person who is hell bent on killing innocent people. This is a problem of the human heart that is corrupted by evil. The old word for it was SIN. No one wants to talk about sin anymore. My church routinely gets blamed for making people feel guilty. After all, this is America. No one is accountable for their actions. That would be too “judgmental”. The actions of this person serves to remind us that moral relativism is truly a dictatorship. There is evil in this world. St. Paul told us that our enemies are the “principalities and powers of the darkness of the air.” (Evil spirits). So when 55 million babies have been legally murdered by abortion, when Euthanasia is legal in several states, when human embryos are used and dicarded like laboratory rats, when the filth and violence on television, the internet and video games has reached outrageous levels of decadence, why should be wonder when one of our citizens comes unraveled and guns down a bunch of innocent children?
Sorry, had to vent. Please join us in praying for the lives of the innocent ones lost, the courageous teachers and admininstrators, and the families and friends of all. Eternal rest grant on to them dear Lord and may your perpetual light shine upon them. Amen.