By Richard Ray:
Excuse the cynicism, but I really have little hope that anything will change in the aftermath of the worst mass shooting in US history. 59 people have died with more than 500 injured, after Stephen Paddock unloaded on more than 20,000 unsuspecting concert goers.
We are all horrified by the events that took place in Las Vegas… We all send our thoughts and prayers to the victims and their families… many of us responsively #prayforVegas, but what will actually be done in the tragedy’s wake to bring real change or even discussion to America’s ever evolving problem with mass shootings and gun violence?
The death of 20 school children and 6 teachers in Sandy Hook could not even push the needle toward greater gun control and legislation, what would make any of us think that Las Vegas was going to be any different?
Gun lobbyists like the NRA have so effectively bought and shaped a narrative of hysterical unreasonableness toward ANY gun control or legislation as liberals trying to make everyone get rid of all of their guns in America. Beside that being an impossible task, no-one has ever sensibly called for all Americans to totally disarm themselves. That talk has just never occurred. Gun Control and legislation is and should be about limiting the amount of weapons that civilians stockpile along with the type of weaponry that civilians should be able to purchase and carry outside of their homes.
This may come as shock to many of you… but owning guns is not actually a God given right. It isn’t part of the 10 Commandments. For you strict scholars who love to talk about the 2nd Amendment of the US Constitution, you fail to use any reason in recalling that the Amendment was written in a time when people needed guns to protect both themselves and the newly formed United States, there was no military or police forces and guns were single shot devices.
Times have changed. Reason dictates that laws try to at least keep up with the technological advances in guns and other weapons. The founders of the Constitution could not imagine a gun that was capable of being shot from 500 yards away and automatically fire hundreds of rounds. Should Americans have the right to protect themselves with guns? Yes, but those rights need to be fairly weighed with a reasonable standard of protection versus the ability to harm others because a weapon’s capability and purpose in being made for warfare should never be in the hands of civilians.
Yet, politics and partisanship will get in the way and nothing will change. Excuses will be made and lobbyists like the NRA will once again win over common sense and the best interest of American citizens. I am not suggesting that gun control will eliminate all gun violence, but not doing annoying will surely only allow it to increase.
Be sure to read others within diaryofamadmind.com
#StephenPaddock, #LasVegasShooting, #massshooting, #LasVegas, #guncontrol, #Assaultweapons, #2ndAmendment, #SandyHook, #NRA
