GUNS DON’T KILL PEOPLE
Mass murder continues to manifest itself in every area of American social life. The debate as to how to stop it continues without agreed upon solution. And that debate is often around the meaning of the Second Amendment. But that focus is a non-debate. Reading the introduction to the constitution clearly affirms that this amendment is about the protection of the citizen community and not individual rights. It’s about the common good.
There are those, like the National Rifle Association, who see the debate, itself, as a non-issue. Its rationale is that Guns Don’t Kill People. And that is true. People kill people. However, what the NRA is unwilling to acknowledge is that if people who want to kill people with guns can’t get the guns they want to use to kill people then they won’t be able to kill the people they want to kill.
The NRA is a witting mouthpiece for gun industry propaganda. This propaganda is an attempt to rationalize why there should be no restraints on the sale of weaponry in a free America. However, the arms industry is a member of the Economic Imperialism Club of America that has no concern for democracy or its health other than as a utility for profit-making.
The solution is to impose severe legal restraints on the arms industry’s ability to sell weaponry. Such would prohibit citizenry purchase of a weapon except for a legitimate social reason for its ownership. In addition, the killing capacity of the purchased weapon would have to match the needs of that social reason. These restraints are the only real protection the citizenry has against mass killings. Indeed, it is the only solution to the nation’s murder issue.
Most of our attempts to stop gun violence, such as background checks, are hopeful illusions because they are focused on phantom enemies that rarely ever become visible until after they have committed the murderous deed. It is not the disturbed citizen we need protection from. It’s the arms industry which only concern is profit-making and the NRA which is focused on individual rights above that of the common good.
If we have life welfare protections as citizens, it will only be because we have elected congress people who are committed to the common good and common sense above individual rights. This means that our real protection is found inside the voting booth.
Robert
Rev. Robert, You are absolutely right about our need to establish strict gun control in the U.S. The arguments used by the NRA and other promoters of the gun manufacturers are so false. Their line of thinking is so emotionally based by frequent use of the word “freedom.” No American should be free to shoot other people with military style weapons. The hunter who needs an AK Whatever to kill a deer shouldn’t be hunting in the first place!
You might be interested in this piece about the history of the interpretation of the 2nd amendment as it relates to private, personal ownership.
https://www.wnycstudios.org/story/gun-show/
The chaos, the killing, and the profiteering from the sale of guns with multiple rounds doesn’t have to be this way. I am a gun owner, trained in the safety and use of a firearm, and I am in favor of common sense gun control regulations. You are right, we must elect those who are committed to the common good above individual rights.