Gun Control and The Problem of Sanity
Lobbies are an amazing phenomenon and the NRA seems to be king of them all. Hidden in all the rhetoric about the right of individuals to carry arms is the inability to decide how much is enough. If my basic right is to be able to protect myself and enjoy recreational hunting, where are the sensible limits?
At the risk of being called a simpleton, why exactly is it that citizens need to bave armor piercing bullets, or guns capable of downing airliners, or the ability to fire 100 rounds per minute? The cops have good reason for getting nervous about lasers locking onto their helicopters. They have reason to be concerned about taking on criminals in body armor toting legally procured AK 47′s. It’s happening now. How long until some lunatic tries to bring down an airplane with his legally procured firearm?
We reel in shock over the nut-case who openly fired heavy-duty firearms in the Colorado theater, but enough is enough. It is time to recognize that no good comes from the mindless proliferation of firepower.
This is not about constitutional rights, it’s about insanity. Beyond the insanity of the killers on their random shooting sprees is the insanity of us who put our minds on hold, refusing to recognize the far reaching implications of what is happening today. It’s our time to wake up and speak up.
Michael Bloomberg and his fellow mayors are making sense on this issue. Don’t strain yourself trying to hear what the presidential candidates are saying.
It’s time to demand change – the constitution is being abused and we are being taken for fools.
Posted on July 24, 2012, in Active faith, Communicating faith and tagged constitutional rights, faith and action, firepower, guns, insanity, killing sprees, NRA. Bookmark the permalink. 2 Comments.
I have always wondered exactly where the idea that possessing weapons is a “right” comes from. Not the history of it, but the moral justification. I cannot see any way to justify it at all for a Christian: how does owning and using a gun mesh with Jesus explicit instruction to turn the other cheek?
I’m with you: the way of faith and the path of violence clash. Going beyond that is the issue of being “salt” or “light” in society at large – not just promoting non-violence but throwing our weight behind measures to reduce violence and restrict access to insane weapons. The challenge is to find ways to bring “good news” to an increasingly serious situation, our pressing question becomes: how do we do that?