What will it take for us to cease fighting insanity with insanity for the “freedom to bear arms”?
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I love life, and I love the people of my country far far far more than I value the “freedom” to bear arms.
We must repeal the Second Amendment now!
There! I uttered the unutterable, the ultimate taboo in U.S. political discourse.
As the horse once served as a primary means of transportation in earlier times, it now grazes and prances peacefully on rich pastures. Possibly during former moments in our history, we may have had reason to enact and enforce the Second Amendment of our great Constitution, but those bygone days have long since passed. Now we must put the Second Amendment out to pasture.
It imposes an existential threat to our nation.
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I believe that even our brilliant and well-meaning, but flawed founders did not want unlimited and unrestricted rights of firearm ownership. They could never have imagined the enormous leaps and heights to which the Second Amendment now menaces not only the very lives of our people, but more poignantly, how it imposes an existential threat to our nation.
Even if our early leaders had advocated for unrestricted gun ownership, these are the same men who owned and marketed enslaved Africans, committed genocide against and expelled native peoples, withheld enfranchisement from women, engaged in and killed one another in duels, and so on. Since those early times, legislation, judicial actions, and constitutional amendments have at least attempted to redress those past tragedies. Though we can never bring back the estimated 30,000 victims of gun violence each year, by gutting the Second Amendment we can give our residents a greater chance at life.
I often travel abroad visiting cites and people around the world.
They vow not to step foot on this land. These same people believe they have more freedoms in their countries with severe firearms restrictions than we could ever have under our Second Amendment.
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Increasingly during my journeys, people express to me that they admire the remarkable achievements and wonders of the United States, but because of the perennial gun violence, they vow not to step foot on this land. These same people believe they have more freedoms in their countries with severe firearms restrictions than we could ever have under our Second Amendment. And because of their well-founded hesitations to visit our country, they will never experience our gleaming cities, our fertile plains, our lush grasslands, our majestic mountains and national parks, and yes, our seemingly endless supply of shops. In the end, the realities of gun violence in the U.S. hurts everyone everywhere, with the possible exception of our enemies who desire to witness us defeated from within.
Rather than working to reduce the supply of firearms on our streets and in our homes, gun sales and ownership steadily increases. The United States ranks number 1 of 178 countries researched in 2014 for the highest rate of firearms with 112.6 per 100 residents, with Serbia coming in a distant second at 69.7, Yemen third at 54.8, and Switzerland forth at 45.7. Just this past “Black Friday” after Thanksgiving, requests for firearms background checks reached historic proportions with over 185 thousand on this single day.
What will it take for us to cease fighting insanity with insanity?
How many more of our precious people of all ages will have their lives cut short under the banner of “freedom to bear arms”? What will it take for us to reverse the unholy alliance between corporate America and powerful pressure groups controlling politicians in the service of firearms manufacturers?
When is enough, enough?!
Photo credit: Getty Images
Piste 121515. At Mother Jones, where I work as an editor, we have compiled an in-depth, open-source database covering more than three decades of public mass shootings. By our measure, there have been four “mass shootings” this year, including the one in San Bernardino, and at least 73 such attacks since 1982. Cmon Warren mother Jones. JC. CONSERVATIVE BASTION TO BE SURE. 73. Not 350 73. Sure the guns legally purchased but NOT used by the owner. And the correlation that you don’t want to talk about is the guns were purchased legally BUT also used by the shooter. That’s… Read more »
This is a direct request Cheryl. I said I would respond to a situation if your daughter was involved in a lockdown for real. I said I would take that risk for her of what my consequences would be. And you know the consequences that I would face. You did not respond at all. But your points were so elucidated before this. Please tell me if your position is different or will you maintain the same now. Or sacrifice your daughter because while remote of course this is really now your choice. This is not meant for me to be… Read more »
Mark: Like I said, Legally purchased. These parents you mentioned LEGALLY PURCHASED the guns, and the youth took them. Also: “According to the tracker’s data, the San Bernardino incident represents the 355th mass shooting this year, the Washington Post reported. The incident in San Bernardino also overshadowed another shooting in Savannah, Georgia that occurred the same day, claiming one life and injuring three others.” Also, Shootingtracker lists 381 mass shootings for 2015 so far: http://shootingtracker.com/wiki/Mass_Shootings_in_2015
And btw. I don’t know where the 300 odd mass shootings numbers come from at all. Nbc notably not a conservative news media outlet said that since 1982 73 mass shootings as defined by 4 or more getting killed had occurred. A far cry from the numbers touted for this year alone.
Really. Lets get some real facts instead of reaction to heartstrings. In the longer run we could actually maybe get a decent compromise. But without that it will be either this or that and nobody gets anything. Deal?
Really. All legally purchased. So Columbian was by guns that were bought by the shooters? Nope. Parents guns. Sandy hook the same thing. Although I do believe Holmes did purchase his gun because he was under the radar. Terrorists yes. And they weren’t automatics they were semi autos. Totally different. Chicago? I’ve yet to hear of more than a disgruntled postman or two and then a couple of people get killed. But 440 have been killed by illegal guns not at least purchased by them in the sports stores. So you know the weapon of choice for real mass killings… Read more »
Warren. Biggest issue I have here is that you or other progessives have have not made 1 issue of the 440mass shootings in one city alone. Chicago. And make no mistake. This is a mass shooting spread over time. But not 1 word from the left. Not 1. Please tell me why. Please. But a frelative few here and there raises your ire. I’m not getting this at all.
Mark: THE MAJORITY of mass killings in this country — whether in Chicago, Sandyhook, or San Bernardino — were perpetrated with LEGALLY PURCHASED AND ATTAINED firearms. No matter the motive — from gang vengeance to political and/or “religious” terrorism — the connecting factor is that this country, with its obsession on the so-called “freedom” to bear arms, MUST impose restrictions on accessibility to firearms. What will it take for us to cease fighting insanity with insanity? How many more of our precious people of all ages will have their lives cut short under the banner of “freedom to bear arms”?… Read more »
A most excellent debate here folks. I truly mean it. Finally civil discourse on a very emotional topic. A rare commodity on this site sometimes. Y’all have to understand the coming civil wars will be very violent. Whether that be terrorist is almost certain or social terrorism that is a less than proposition but at this time the odds are favored it will be here because of a variety of political reasons. This is NOT not the time to disarm ourselves. I understand the emotions. But I reiterate this is NOT The times. I think your making a serious short… Read more »
45 of 50 states also have the right to keep and bear arms in their state constitutions. You’d have to repeal all of those, as well.
I used to want to find common ground with 2ND amendment supporters as a way to respect a love of hunting and the sport and skill of target shooting. I know people who hunt responsibly and whose environmental ethic I respect even though I myself have no interest in guns or hunting. But no more. The NRA has had ample opportunity to show leadership in creating fair laws for safe use and ownership of guns, but has FAILED in every respect. I’m tired of reading rants from gun owners about protecting their families from intruders, and staving off hordes of… Read more »
I used to want to find common ground with people who claimed they were only interested in ‘moderate’ , ‘common sense’ gun laws as a way of preventing violence and saving lives. Unfortunately, the entire gun control debate is driven by people whose advocacy of gun control is aimed more at cultural and political ideology than it is at saving lives. Well-intended people who want ‘moderate’, ‘common sense’ gun laws enacted will have to put some political space between themselves and the ideological hardliners who want to disarm the citizenry as part of some cultural and political re-engineering of our… Read more »
They’d have to trample the 4th amendment as well to enforce their destruction of the 2nd. Let’s not forget how progressives are treating the 1st lately!
Part of the problem Cheryl is that as a responsible permit holder I CANNOT take my gun into school property. I hope to be able to hit my target with my 9mm from a block away to help those inside. Otherwise I’d go to jail under any circumstances. Seriously. Sorry your daughter was shot because I can’t come in the space. Do you see how crazy that is? Trust me. I would risk that to save your daughter. Unless you don’t want me too. I just don’t know what you want here. I’m not being contentious but seriously it not… Read more »
so this article is in no way connected to the recent probable terrorist attack in San Bernardino? Nevermind then. I only am here to discuss timely and pertinent issues.
Dubya, my article is a timely and pertinent issue. In addition to the shooting in San Berdardino yesterday, a shooter shot 4 people in Georgia killing one yesterday. Mass shootings are becoming a daily issue. What is more “timely” and “pertinent”? And yes, if the San Berdardino terrorists got their guns legally, then my article refers to them as well as the 355 other mass shooters just since January in the U.S. No matter what the motives, getting guns legally because our leaders don’t have the guts to pass common sense regulations is murder no matter how you spin it.
You look at this like it is a singular event only happening in America. Yes mass shootings in the United States have been on a rise, but let’s say a country that has a far less number of firearms such as Japan, they have mass stabbings and they have been on the increase as well. Yes you can argue for gun control for mass shootings but, it’s a global issue of increased violence. If someone wants to commit a mass crime they will find the next best object whatever it may be.
We all know the only reason “mass shootings” get any play around here is because it is the only form of gun violence where the perps can fit the progressive boogiemen of “straight white conservative males.” Salon had a headline about Dylan Roof ranting about white Christian terrorism but after San Bernardino they cautioned against any association with Islam. Look at the rhetoric you’ve used in the past- ranting about people entering a raffle at a Cabelas or about the jeweler in Iowa… You talk about the number of weapons per person but, if you choose to look closer, people… Read more »
For all of you who are trying to divert the discussion to the one terrorist attack in San Bernardino (which I never explicitly referred to), so far this year, there have been 355 mass shootings in which 4 or more people were shot. If you wish to talk about the San Bernardino shooting, what I have read so far, reporters are speculating that the shooters probably attained their weapons LEGALLY. Though California bans assault weapons, nearby states, like Arizona, do not. Let’s concentrate on the legal purchase of firearms that are killing thousands of people annually.
Part of the problem Cheryl is that as a responsible permit holder I CANNOT take my gun into school property. I hope to be able to hit my target with my 9mm from a block away to help those inside. Otherwise I’d go to jail under any circumstances. Seriously. Sorry your daughter was shot because I can’t come in the space. Do you see how crazy that is? Trust me. I would risk that to save your daughter. Unless you don’t want me too. I just don’t know what you want here. I’m not being contentious but seriously it not… Read more »
So your response to what is probably a well planned terrorist attack by people with links to Islamic extemists is to disarm all of their targets? my vote cancels out yours. How are you going to fit this into your usual diatribe against rural Americans who might buy an engagement ring from a jeweler who gives away a Remington 870, a person who has their ashes made into shotgun ammo, or the people who entered a raffle for a rifle at Cabelas? You cannot blame white people this time. You cannot blame men. You cannot attack Christians. So now, instead… Read more »
“Farook was in touch with at least one person the federal government identified as a terrorism suspect. Additionally, authorities are looking into the devout Muslim man’s overseas communications, which have raised suspicions.” … wonder how this is gonna be spun?
What other parts of the Constitution would you repeal to ‘save lives’ and ‘reduce violence’? Many of the same arguments can be made for repeal of the First Amendment’s guarantee of free speech and free press: instant mass electronic communication is hardly the same as printing one page at a time, eighteenth century style. And if saving innocent lives is our goal, why should we be bound by eighteenth century ideas about due process? How far would you go in restricting individual liberty in order to save those innocent lives? Maybe I’m too cynical, but I always suspect that even… Read more »
So you would like to take away the rights of hundreds of thousands of responsible firearm owners in the United States so that more foreign travelers will come here? I am a responsible firearm owner, I grew up hunting and competitively shooting why should my rights be jeopardized? Let’s look at the Paris tragedy, France has very stringent gun control laws and yet bad people still got their hands on them and that will happen if the second ammendment is repealed, so why punish the 99% of firearm owners?
Yes.
Sorry, just to clarify–YES, I would like to take away the rights of hundreds of thousands of “responsible” firearms owners. I’m sorry that this isn’t fair to those who are careful and responsible, but just like Mrs. Wilson, my kindergarten teacher, said “It just takes a few bad apples to spoil the whole barrel.” And we’ve got one big, rotten barrel of applesauce in this country right now. Really I am sorry if that tramples your rights, but I’m tired of my rights to live in a society free from daily killings being trampled too.
I agree a few bad apple can spoil a whole batch, you failed to mention anything about the Paris attacks? Paris is one of the leading cities in the world on gun control and yet those bad apples still found weapons to commit such and atrocity.
The “right to live in a society free of daily killings” is not granted anywhere in the Constitution. The right to bear firearms is.
Not to mention, you will still live in a society where there are daily killings even if firearms are made illegal. Not every killing is done with them.