The national conversation about gun control is about to begin, and I'm hoping it will be a healing and productive conversation. This afternoon, in response to the shootings at Newtown, the NRA released a statement saying it is "prepared to offer meaningful contributions to make sure this never happens again."
Yesterday, President Obama asked his cabinet members for proposals to curb gun violence. And this morning Obama's press secretary Jay Carney shared some of the gun control proposals Obama is considering: Reinstatement of the assault weapons ban and closing the so-called gun show loophole, among others. The President has met with NRA member Senator Joe Manchin about working together to curb gun violence.
It's happening, people. We are talking about gun control.
Now there are going to be other journalists and commentators who will express skepticism about the NRA's statement. And I understand where they are coming from. But I can't join them in that skepticism just yet. I want to see the NRA's statement as a hopeful gesture of compromise -- and much-needed leadership.
I know there are many, many people who feel threatened by any talk about gun control. It's tearing some families apart. Friendships have ended. Ugly things are being said. This makes me sad, especially when we are all feeling so raw from the tragedy. But I also know this is what happens when we are on the verge of major change. Change is always uncomfortable.
But I think in order to have a productive conversation, we really do need to start from a fresh place of trust and openness. The NRA will be holding a press conference on Friday. I will be listening.
What would you like to see happen to help curb gun violence?
Image via NRA.org
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Comments 11
Let's ban crazy people. Or maybe make murder against the law.
You can't do anything. All the options are far too extreme for any American to get behind (and im not talking about gun control). Guns are not th problem. It's crazy nut bags that are, guns are the weapon if choice today, make those hard to get and they'll use other weapons, bigger, scarier, more annonamous ones. Almost ever home in America contains the ingredients to mark something deadly, a dready gas, a bomb, you name it. It's cheap, it's easy, and way way scarier than guns. Watch any prision show and you'll see that those intent on hurting people or accomplishing a goal stop at nothing. People die everyday in prision and there are no guns. When people are crazy and don't value life they will go to any length. Less guns always equal more gun violence, read your history books, look up some statistics, it will surprise you. If I thought for one second banning guns, one specific gun or all guns would help prevent another tragedy like this I would be on board in a heartbeat. The problem is nothing points to that being the answer, now or any other time in history.
I'm just ready for the idiots who don't understand that people wanting more regulation does not = wanting guns banned to shut their pie holes. I'm tired of seeing all the "You'll take my guns over my dead body" crap on facebook. Calm down, crazy.
But yes, the issue here is not guns. If they don't have a gun, they'll use something bigger and worse. Mental health is the problem. The majority of mass murderers were sick and showed signs of it before they snapped.
Mental health is 1 part of a multi-faceted problem. Laws not being enforced and followed, corporate lobbyists weakening legislation while pouring money into Republican campaigns to keep the status quo, and the sheer lack of accountability for many gun owners. If you don't have a safe place to protect your weapons and ensure they do NOT get into the wrong hands, you don't deserve to have them. Whether they use bombs, bad cooking, a pixie stick, it doesn't make it ok to be irresponsible with your weapons.