Common-sense gun laws compatible with 2nd Amendment

To The Daily Sun,

More than 36,000 people are shot to death every year, on average, in America. Last week was bookended by mass shootings in Gilroy, CA; El Paso, TX, and Dayton, OH, in which gunmen killed 34 United States citizens. Yet contributors to this forum give us their rendition of a pity party by claiming that the “gun-grabbing Left just wants to confiscate all our guns” and that “demonizing law-abiding gun owners will not help.” Both these statements are false, misleading and meant to inflame fear and anger. Under these conditions and conspiracy theories, including that the “gun grabbing Left” is coming to take your guns, those who feel a lack of control express their paranoia by buying into propaganda where truth is no obstacle. Shakespeare wisely stated it long ago, “Fear doth make a coward of us all.”

Recent polls show that, on average, 90 percent of Americans, not the “Left” or the “Right,” but OUR NATION, support stricter gun laws that would include universal background checks. Ninety-seven percent of gun owners support background checks and other restrictions. Sixty-nine percent of NRA members express their support for comprehensive background checks. No more division, deflection or excuses, the issues have been studied and the answers are well known. What we need as a nation is constructive action; common-sense gun control that is compatible with the Second Amendment.

As we’ve witnessed over the years, the gun culture continues to try to change the subject and blame anything but guns, as we lurch from one mass shooting to the next. Failing to seriously consider, or even discuss, serious legislation to reduce gun violence year after year, and then ending up with continued violent attacks is just insanity.

It would be laughable if it weren’t so sad, but it appears that Wayne LaPierre, CEO of the NRA, is now demanding extra security for himself. He is worried sick about his personal safety following the outcry of the American public following the latest rounds of mass shootings. It seems ironic that LaPierre feels unsafe because of the very gun culture his policies have created. But it’s good to know he apparently feels some of what most Americans feel: that gun violence is out of control.

To be clear, I am a gun owner and have great respect for responsible gun owners, but a recent suggestion by a contributor to this forum to arbitrarily arm more “people” with guns causes me great concern. A major flaw to this philosophy of, “The only thing that stops a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun.” is that these acts of terror are committed by, what the NRA and America’s gun culture would have been considered “good guys with guns” prior to their assaults.

After all this having been said, the most obvious threat to a U.S. citizen’s liberty has little to do with firearms, it has to do with money. Our legislators are either bought outright or controlled by the capacity of the rich to nullify the wishes of the majority in an election. That will be history’s sad commentary on the demise of the great American Dream; not that gun ownership eroded our society, but that big money took control of the electoral process.

Robert Miller

Alton