To Americans brought up under the Second Amendment Rights, that permit
citizens to bear arms, guns are part and parcel of the culture, where one can
even purchase guns with minimal screening in places like Walmart, with 5,000
stores that sells almost everything everywhere in the USA.
WHICH CAMP ARE YOU IN?
There are three distinct actors in this debate. ONE –Those advocating
strict gun control, even the abolition of the second amendment, on the grounds
that this amendment is anachronistic, and almost unique to the Constitution of
the USA and not to any other country on the face of the earth. TWO –Those who
will hear of nothing, and don’t wish to change this right of the individual,
and are vociferously represented by the NRA (National Rifle Association) that
is well funded and lobbies in the US Congress, where lawmakers fear their strength
in the heartland of rural USA. THREE – The Supreme Court that interprets the
Constitutional Rights, when it comes up for debate, and where those advocating
control have been singularly unsuccessful in getting an interpretation of the
Constitution favourable to the abolition, or substantial restriction.
THE TROUBLE WITH MASS SHOOTINGS
Each time there is a mass shooting this question comes up for debate up
and down the country, and the people have strongly held views on the subject. However
in the 250 year history of the Country, the second amendment is seemingly
unshakable!
So how do you shake it without upsetting the majority? Two thirds
majority of Congress is required I believe to change the Constitution and there
is no chance of that every happening. So given the ground realities and taking
a practical stance, let us take the security of the person as paramount, and
look at how fire arms have changed in 250 years.
IF you take protection of the person, then I should have the right to
protect myself from harm, and permitted to carry a weapon, concealed upon my
person or openly in plain sight, to both deter the aggressor, or provide
security in case of attack. Given the fact that the right to bear arms is sacrosanct
and there is nothing you or I can do about it there are just two avenues we can
start by forcing a COMPROMISE that is partially acceptable to the citizenry. Then
the debate should concentrate on what kind of weapon will give me this level of
protection, and be compatible with the second amendment rights at the same
time.
PROPOSAL FOR CONSIDERATION
It is quite obvious that many if not all the of the mass shooters, and remember
gun crime is not restricted to mass shootings, though it is them that hits the
headlines and starts the debate amongst the public, are carried out by people
with certain personal issues, of anger against some group, or some past
betrayal leading to some need for revenge, etc. The common denominator is that
these people have some kind of mental instability. One must also remember that
suicides are also gun related, when guns are freely available, however with Sri
Lanka high on the suicide statistics, it is carried out by other means,
negating this argument for gun control.
The second common factor is that these unstable individuals, seem to be
able acquire high velocity, repeater assault rifles that can kill and maim
numbers of people in a very short span, something that only armies or terrorist
prevention militia need, and should not IN ANY CIRCUMSTANCE be freely available
to anyone who wishes to buy them. The mere fact that any person who wants to
can amass an arsenal in a short space of time is a frightening prospect,
especially if this person is mentally unstable, and no one can predict when and
where that person is liable to use it. That means NO ONE IS SAFE.
If that latter statement isn’t enough for a normal human being to say,
enough is enough, we must control the types of weapons people can purchase, what
is?
Of course there is a looming Presidential Election in 2020 in the USA,
and if a candidate comes up with a compromise that they wish to enact that is
legally likely to pass, then that must be a platform that would obtain majority
support. People are not in extreme camps and it is time we test it out.
Of course in a Presidential campaign there are other issues that may be paramount
relegating this depending when this matter is on the front or back burner as a
result of a new shooting or mass killing.
Republican President Trump being from the rural red neck backing,
ironically has the best chance of bringing this about, and be remembered for
posterity, if he wants to leave a legacy, advocating moderate control that
minimizes the likelihood of the unstable population getting their hands on
lethal weapons. After all it is he, who says these people doing it are nut
cases, without admitting that the Country does in fact have more than a fair share
of nut cases, growing daily, and his off the cuff remarks, that are meant for
his political base, further empowers the nutters to act, citing the President
as a source of their inspiration! It is worth a stab, and there is nothing to
lose, DON’T YOU THINK?
3 comments:
BRAVO
Trust you to foresee the future as always, even in the USA - it is only a matter of time, sooner rather than later
Trump does not have the intelligence to realize that this could be a slam dunk election winner if he advocates strong gun control. After all it will take the wind off the democratic party's sails.
He will not lose the traditional NRA vote as who else can they vote for? Just stay at home! Nah that will not happen as they want him firmly talking shit and inciting the right
Some societies such as the US where there is an opioid epidemic in addition to drug use have a huge proportion of citizens that can turn from normal to abnormal in a matter of hours. This can result in a horrifying results if they have access to mass killing firearms.
It is the duty of the state to prevent them getting hold of them. If they are unable to identify more than 99% of the people then in the public interest they must ban all access of assault weapons period, and multi barrel guns and repeaters that can kill multiple people in short period.
There are no ifs and but, as we are now under a social disaster
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