There seems to be a bit of irony in the National Rifle Association argument. If the polls are correct, the first bit is that Wayne LaPierre is not representing the membership. By far the membership wants gun background checks. The second bit of irony is that by promoting guns sales and the like, they played a part in saturating society with guns. I am not sure but I think we have more guns than we have people. In that regard, and except for Switzerland, we are unique among developed countries. This ubiquitous gun owner ship has created an environment in which we need guns to protect ourselves. It is the old war logic reduced to the personal level. If my neighbor has a gun, I need a gun. If he or she has a big gun, I need a bigger gun. If he or she has a bigger gun, I need more than one gun. It is the “dog chasing his tail” argument. It makes us believe the ridiculous notion that the safest place in the world is where everyone has guns.
A week or so ago, we had a gun show/sale in Raleigh, North Carolina. Some one accidently fired a gun. Luckily, no one was hurt. Similar accidents happened around the country in other gun shows. This set the stage in my mind for a short story. Imagine everyone at a gun show with tables full of guns and ammunition. You know the kinds of people who go to those kinds of events; the self-proclaimed tough guy who will defend him or her self in any situation—the promoter of the “stand your ground” gun laws. All of a sudden, some one accidently fires a gun and hurts you or your family member or friend, or even some innocent person standing next to you. You grab your gun, perhaps an assault weapon with a 100 round magazine, and fire back to protect yourself. The people you hit will return the fire with their guns to protect themselves and innocent people. After all, that is the reason everyone should have a gun.
Gun control laws are an up hill climb for Obama, who has to learn how to dance the political dance to do the right thing, which is what the majority of American people want him to do. Unfortunately, enough congressional members are under the impression that the NRA—using arms industry money—will “primary” them. This of course is racketeering. A practice aided and abetted by the ill-conceived Citizens United Supreme Court decision. Regardless, it disconnects the representatives from the people they represent. Still it is deeper than that. The gun lobby is part of the powerful military industrial complex that controls congressional representatives by reminding them that jobs will be lost in their district if they stop manufacturing guns. These are positions supported by the Republican Party.
Therefore, our gun problem is a product of congressional cloture, which gives us minority rule, even in the Senate where Democrats have a majority. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is from Arizona, a red state as are several other Democrats. As a result, they are subject to a primary challenge by a radical right wing ideologue. Hence, if you only count the “D’s” Obama has a majority in the Senate in name only. Establishing a sensible gun control law is tough fight against the NRA leadership, the Pentagon, the Congress, the Republican Party, and the Supreme Court (any law will be challenge) but for the sake of our own protection, it is a battle we must fight and win. If gun laws were put to vote across the nation, they would pass. Therefore, we must join Obama in the battle because it is what the majority wants; it is the American way.
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