First of all, thank you to all the readers of the blog over the years. This is the 601st post! Since I started it, over 40,000 of you have stopped by for whatever reason. That's awesome.
I've noticed my social media filled with guns since last week's on-air shooting where the world got to see 2 people murdered on live tv while simply doing their jobs. And it's so refreshing to see people speaking out--because most of us want something done. These aren't people talking about how guns are awesome, guns will make us safer, and guns are the answer. They're people who have finally decided they've seen enough. We've had enough and we're going to speak up.
These aren't people who normally engage in the typical gun banter. They're not people who frequently make their opinions known about guns. But they're finally brave enough to stand up. Because, usually, people stay silent.
We're silent because no matter how a majority of Americans feel--and make no mistake that most Americans do NOT own a gun and most Americans want stricter gun laws--we know that there's a powerful gun lobby stopping meaningful reform. And it's no use bringing up the topic because it's asking for the "gun nuts" to come out of the woodwork complaining about their 2nd Amendment rights. To come out, openly, and say that you favor reforming our corrupt gun culture means confrontation with friends, family, and strangers. We know we're not going to change minds. They're set in their ways and don't want to hear how the majority of us feel.
And it's true, they have a right to have a firearm. But you know what? We have a right to go to work, the movies, school, and our daily lives without worrying about being shot. And that right trumps the 2nd Amendment in some circumstances. Just like you can't yell fire in a crowded theater, your right to have a gun is not absolute. It can and should be limited.
Now, are we going to undo the years of negligence where we've allowed the buildup of guns in our nation? Are we going to get them all regulated? No. We have a ratio of guns to people literally unmatched anywhere else in the world. But we can start with simple, common sense regulations that put firearms on par with other dangerous things we use in our lives. Automobiles, medicines, dangerous chemicals. It should not be easier to get a gun than it is to get antibiotics.
Guns don't kill people...negligent gun owners kill people. If we've been told for years that guns aren't the problem, people are the problem, then let's start holding people to a higher standard including people who possess a gun. You cannot be a responsible gun owner without also advocating for gun responsibilities. What are you doing to help prevent gun deaths? This IS your fault. It is everyone's fault. We all are responsible every time a gun is used for violence. And it's time for "gun rights" to take a backseat to gun logic.
I'd like to thank all the friends I've seen posting about the gun problem over the last few days. It's a topic I don't discuss frequently because we're all tired of the conversation. But if we all keep quiet, it makes it look like we're condoning the rabid pro-gun culture of death. And this couldn't be farther from the truth for most of us.
It's time to fix the gun problem.
I've noticed my social media filled with guns since last week's on-air shooting where the world got to see 2 people murdered on live tv while simply doing their jobs. And it's so refreshing to see people speaking out--because most of us want something done. These aren't people talking about how guns are awesome, guns will make us safer, and guns are the answer. They're people who have finally decided they've seen enough. We've had enough and we're going to speak up.
These aren't people who normally engage in the typical gun banter. They're not people who frequently make their opinions known about guns. But they're finally brave enough to stand up. Because, usually, people stay silent.
We're silent because no matter how a majority of Americans feel--and make no mistake that most Americans do NOT own a gun and most Americans want stricter gun laws--we know that there's a powerful gun lobby stopping meaningful reform. And it's no use bringing up the topic because it's asking for the "gun nuts" to come out of the woodwork complaining about their 2nd Amendment rights. To come out, openly, and say that you favor reforming our corrupt gun culture means confrontation with friends, family, and strangers. We know we're not going to change minds. They're set in their ways and don't want to hear how the majority of us feel.
And it's true, they have a right to have a firearm. But you know what? We have a right to go to work, the movies, school, and our daily lives without worrying about being shot. And that right trumps the 2nd Amendment in some circumstances. Just like you can't yell fire in a crowded theater, your right to have a gun is not absolute. It can and should be limited.
Now, are we going to undo the years of negligence where we've allowed the buildup of guns in our nation? Are we going to get them all regulated? No. We have a ratio of guns to people literally unmatched anywhere else in the world. But we can start with simple, common sense regulations that put firearms on par with other dangerous things we use in our lives. Automobiles, medicines, dangerous chemicals. It should not be easier to get a gun than it is to get antibiotics.
Guns don't kill people...negligent gun owners kill people. If we've been told for years that guns aren't the problem, people are the problem, then let's start holding people to a higher standard including people who possess a gun. You cannot be a responsible gun owner without also advocating for gun responsibilities. What are you doing to help prevent gun deaths? This IS your fault. It is everyone's fault. We all are responsible every time a gun is used for violence. And it's time for "gun rights" to take a backseat to gun logic.
I'd like to thank all the friends I've seen posting about the gun problem over the last few days. It's a topic I don't discuss frequently because we're all tired of the conversation. But if we all keep quiet, it makes it look like we're condoning the rabid pro-gun culture of death. And this couldn't be farther from the truth for most of us.
It's time to fix the gun problem.