GUN CONTROL: A NEED TO LISTEN

I admit it: my connection with guns is very limited. The only time I used a rifle was when I was a young teen. I was put through a gun safety course first before being put on the firing line of a gun range. It was all very safe and controlled. But I had no desire to go out and buy a rifle of my own. While my dad and his friends were avid hunters, I never caught the fever. Arcade pistols and suction cup dart weapons made up the bulk of my weapon experience.

I know people who own guns. I would characterize them as gentle, responsible, and intelligent. Some own firearms for hunting purposes. Some arguably have concerns for safety (I know one or two who have concealed carry permits). Some have never fired a weapon outside of a controlled shooting range. For some, guns are a hobby. For others, guns are a heritage, passed down from father to son.

In short, I don't know anyone who fits the popular profile promoted by the more liberal members of society, that gun owners are a bunch of nearly unhinged lunatics who are one step away from committing mass murder. With the much maligned National Rifle Association boasting a membership of nearly five million gun owners, some memes have declared that: "if the NRA wanted an armed insurrection, you'd know it." I believe it is illogical, and even borderline silly, to think that gun ownership entails a predisposition to indiscriminately shoot people.

picture by Alyeska on Wikipedia, April 2, 2006

And I believe it is the height of naivety to suggest that stricter gun control will end violence. Although there are statistics and figures and reasonings that could show that maybe the amount of carnage could be reduced if the bad guys did not have guns, it does not mean that the bad guys would never get guns. Since when are criminals and mad men bound by laws? A cartoon I saw long ago shows a couple of bank robbers in a car driving around the bank ready to commit their crime. The boss points and says, "Hey, park over there." The driver says, "I can't park there, that's a handicap spot." The humor is that, duh, someone who is ready to stick up a bank isn't going to be concerned about a parking regulation. By the same token, someone bent on mass murder or violent crime is not going to be thwarted just because there is a new regulation that says he can't get a particular kind of modification for his gun, or a particular gun, or any gun. And even if the determined killer cannot get a firearm, there are a host of other methods. Granted, the casualty count might be less, but it is no less tragic. Violence will continue, with or without gun control.

So now that I've gotten my high fives and hoorahs from my conservative friends, it's time to drop the other shoe on my opinion about guns and gun control:

First of all, I think the anti-gun control lobbies (like the NRA) need to lighten up a little. People are scared. And yes, there are some ways that bad guys can get guns that are all too easy. Standing up in the aftermath of a mass shooting and proudly saying, "You will never take our guns," is a little cold-hearted.  I appreciate the stand the NRA takes on things like safety and the responsible use of firearms and the second amendment. But guys (and gals), a little empathy and acknowledgement that good, sensible, intelligent citizens are struggling for answers will go a long way. I know the official statements say the right things. But the moment a politician calls for "gun control," the knee-jerk reaction is to once again draw the line in the proverbial sand.

You see, just as the NRA and pro-gun advocates are not all wild eyed, fanatical armed extremists (NRA, by the way, is a very diverse group),not all anti-gun citizens are so-called bleeding heart, snowflake liberals. Enough with the stereotypes.

Second, I think there should be a certain amount of gun regulation. Certainly not laws that would toss the Second Amendment out the window, but something more akin to common sense. Here is why: if one of my family members was a shooting victim, I would want the police to have every tool at their disposal to find the criminal. I want the cops to be able to track that gun to its rightful owner. And if the rightful owner no longer owns the gun, I want the police to know where that gun went. I want the shooter found and brought to justice.

"But, Dean, if the government knows what guns we have, won't they be able to take them away, thus making us vulnerable to government tyranny?"

Honestly, I don't know. My gut feeling is a lot of the talk about the repeal of the Second Amendment and the confiscation of our guns is so much "sky is falling" rhetoric designed to reinforce the battle lines. In the future, I'll give you my take on the Second Amendment and fears of government overlords. For now, I want to help the police do their job and if that means giving them the ability to check a database and find the perpetrator of a gun crime, then yes, I'm for it (and if you can intelligently and respectfully disagree with me, you can add a comment below).

Some informed knowledge and reasoned thought will go a long way in helping our country find some common ground on the ever-present gun debate. We owe it to ourselves as a country to listen to one another, whether we own and enjoy guns or not.