Mass Shootings

Seriously? Another mass shooting? In America? And for what reasons? Do we know? Are we studying this? Have reports been shared with other researchers and specialists? Is there anything the public needs to know? Shouldn’t public policy change to reflect these issues, contexts, causes?

Well no. Public policy is evidently immune to this. The public must understand Congress has made the decision that the subject research should not be shared with anyone because it may reflect badly on gun ownership which would lead to restrictions for said ownership.

You think I am kidding? The National Rifle Association has squelched research and the sharing of results for years. Congress goes along because the NRA lobby has been a generous contributor to individual congressional re-election campaigns. So, legislation is blocked. To protect the NRA.

Thus, the NRA owns Congress.

The public is the trump card in all of this. We The People must demand that mass shootings get the attention they deserve so we can preserve and protect the lives of the masses. We deserve this. Our kids deserve this.

How do we make this happen?

When automobiles grew in number and miles driven, accidents mushroomed and people were injured, disabled, and killed. In alarming numbers. Congress funded research to determine how the use of automobiles could be managed to produce lower death rates. The research findings were shared broadly with other researchers and academic specialties. Decades later we amassed the data and expertise to draw conclusions. Implementing those conclusions by legislation led to safer highways, traffic regulations, public education, auto manufacturing and re-engineering vehicle design features leading to the safest cars on the road.

Health and safety were the desired outcomes. Well-being of the people trumped all of the special interests.

But not guns. Because it was mentioned in the Constitution. Well, health and safety of the people is mentioned in the Constitution. It matters little what tool or contrivance does the damage. The commonweal is the beneficiary of the Constitution. It should follow that regulating guns and ownership of guns be implemented to increase public safety and reduce deaths and disabilities from guns. 

Reasonable. Unless you do not trust other people. That leads to not trusting institutions, corporations, and government. You see where this is going? One is reasonable safety standards for cars, but not for guns.

Bosh!

Dump the politicians and NRA games. Regulate gun safety so the rest of us are protected to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Too many of us have lost that freedom because others wrongfully have their gun fetish.

March 25, 2021