More reaction to guns, gun control
Published 11:46 am Monday, March 4, 2013
Facts:
— The U.S. leads the world in guns per capita with 310 million estimated in civilian circulation.
— Our firearms homicides are 6 times our Canadian neighbors per capita. This should be telling us something!
— There were 30,000 U.S. gun deaths in 2012 and such deaths are expected to surpass auto fatalities in a few years (because sensible regulations have auto deaths declining). Similar policies could do the same for gun deaths.
As ex-career military and a current gun owner, I support the right of law-abiding citizens to legitimately acquire and own appropriate type weapons for sporting use and personal protection, but semi-automatics with large magazine capacity accessories and designed for battlefield use are not justifiable in the public arena. The assault weapons ban which expired in 2004 needs to be reinstated.
Our democracy has survived for 236 years because of our resolve to solve tough national issues for the greater good through dialogue, common-sense application, moderation and compromise. This needs to continue with the gun control issue.
Enter the NRA, with its extremist “in-denial leadership” and obstructionist attitude, seeking to paint a political label on anyone who legitimately questions any gun control. They incite their membership by “fanning the fires of fear” (that the government will come knocking on their doors and confiscate their guns), creating weapons-buying hysteria that leads to an even greater proliferation of weaponry. Just what we need!
We’re overdue for the rational “silent majority” to speak out, open up a dialogue and express their opinions. We need to develop national consensus on a reasonable, common-sense gun policy to counter the NRA.
I strongly urge you to contact your congressional representatives and quiz them regarding their positions on gun control (the NRA spent almost $20 million during the past political campaign to influence their support vote and publish their propaganda). Let your representatives know your opinion and vote counts!
Support a gun control organization with a “broad-based” solutions platform. One suggestion is the Giffords’ non-profit, Americans for Responsible Solutions, which appears to have the leadership and counterbalance potential to stand up to the NRA.
Jim Mossman
Kingston
