America is a paralyzed nation in many ways, with our leaders (whom we almost always don't trust) unable to make rational decisions and living in fear of not meeting their most rabid supporters' expectations.
What could be a more convincing piece of evidence supporting this statement than the fact that about 90 percent of Americans (including all political views) support some sort of reasonable waiting period to obtain a gun. Our latest killer walked into a gun store on the day he turned 18 and was able to buy a semi-automatic rifle. He could not buy a beer at the tavern next door.
Doesn't that say everything about our collective insanity?
We can have no hope for any action that creates an immediate turnaround on guns -- after all, there are over 400 million already in the hands of our citizens -- so we need to work on some "little" actions that can get through Congress and start little changes.
I was reminded of a truth just today: change happens slowly and then all at once. The latest example of this might be gay marriage, which was not on most peoples' radar until it was suddenly the law of the land. Small victories for the right to marriage piled up.
That is the proposed way forward when commentators like Nicholas Kristoff advise us to avoid "triggering" phrases like "gun control," and instead discuss "gun safety." The tactic of exploring more safety is what keep cars on the road. Yes, lots of Americans continue to die on our roads but we have produced much safer vehicles and those increased safety measures have reduced deaths.
Could people be persuaded that all gun sales should require some sort of waiting period, much as many states demand a waiting period for women desiring abortions? Could people be persuaded that a basic gun safety course be required prior to purchasing a gun of any kind, much as we require some sort of training before people receive a drivers license? Could people be persuaded that creating a national age requirement of 21 is as reasonable as our drinking laws?
Could people be persuaded that it is OK for the FBI or some authority to gather data on gun violence, not just deaths, and thus provide some data we can work from in finding new ways to honor Second Amendment advocates while minimizing massacres of children?
The religious fanatics -- and I use that adjective because worship of the gun in a peculiarly American cult -- will still object. But there is a reason we can call those folks "fanatics": there aren't all that many of them.
Kristoff admits that small, reasonable restrictions around the edges of gun ownership will only reduce gun deaths by a third, but 14,000 lives is worth something, wouldn't you say?
There are dozens of regulations about ladders, of all things, and the total number of deaths connected to faulty ladders is about 100 per year.
If I had total power, I would destroy most of the guns (full disclosure). But I don't.
It's time to explore "gun safety" and for industry and scientists and legislators to start producing some regulations/laws that show that there is still hope for the U.S. We can never be completely safe, of course, and death waits for all, but reasonable people try to avoid flaunting death.
It's tough to be optimistic about a nation that is OK with dead kids just to continue a fetish. But even cult members can be convinced to leave the cult.
Can we find ten Republican senators who feel strong enough to explore additional gun safety?
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