Newtown, Conn

The following is a letter I drafted. I intended to send it to my local paper, but thought I'd post it here first. It was cathartic in some way just to put my thoughts down on virtual paper.

Let me start by saying I have a difficult time understanding the policies and politics of the Democratic party, but for the first time, I think I have reached common ground with our current President. In his recent national appearances regarding the senseless violence in Newton, Connecticut, he was saddened. So am I, and I would hope that humanity would share those sentiments. I also sensed President Obama was angry. I am too, not just at the violent mass murderer that killed those innocent children and education providers (although there is plenty of that), but at myself and my fellow citizens.

I’m disgusted with the number of recent tragedies that we continue to endure in this great country and the lack of action we have taken towards prevention. We have to expect more of ourselves and the United States of America. As President Obama said, “we can’t accept events like this as routine … are we ready to say the violence visited on our children year after year after year is somehow the price of freedom?” We as concerned citizens must make it our responsibility to make the many changes to reduce the chances that these types of murders can happen again. This isn’t just about gun control, mental health, or defensive measures. It’s about all of those more.

At the least, we need to engage our national representatives to make it a priority, but we can do more. But we should also work with our local lawmakers, law enforcement agencies, and mental health experts to find out what we can do within our own communities. This isn’t just an issue about gun control, nor is it just an issue about mental health. This isn’t just an issue about increasing protection at our public gathering facilities, nor is any other singular tactic or law.

I’m not anti-gun, nor am I thrilled about the prospect of increased taxes or expenses to deal with homicidal nut jobs. But, I am willing to entertain the idea of limiting the types of firearms and the people who can access them. I’m also willing to endure a reasonable tax increase to restrict and help those with dangerous mental tendencies and I’m willing to accept a reasonable increase in spending to make my home and public areas safe. I’m willing because I want better things for my country and I want better things for my children.

Please don’t think I’m so naïve to think this will prevent all tragedies in the future. Some bad people will still slip through the cracks and we’ll still mourn for the carnage they leave in their wake. But if we can prevent one innocent life from being taken because a mentally disturbed person was locked up and being treated, if we can prevent a mass shooting at a mall, sporting event, or theater because there were security measures that thwarted the monster, and if we can prevent a future tragic shooting at another school because automatic weapons weren’t readily available to the sicko who was planning such a horrific thing, then haven’t we done something? It’s time to let the world know that we are better than this, it’s time to remember American values and take steps to look out for and protect each other. There isn’t any singular solution, and it takes effort, but don’t we owe that to one another and to our children?

The loss of life was tragic. To shoot innocent children is evil incarnate. However, if responsible, trained, individuals were allowed to store and carry weapons, even on a school campus, perhaps the loss of life due to these kinds of tragedies could be reduced. A determined nut job will do damage, regardless of whether there is strict gun control or not. However, taking away responsible individuals' ability to defend themselves and others, is not the solution. In fact, I would support allowing broader access for responsible, trained individuals to carry concealed weapons.

Quote: Ayecarumba

The loss of life was tragic. To shoot innocent children is evil incarnate. However, if responsible, trained, individuals were allowed to store and carry weapons, even on a school campus, perhaps the loss of life due to these kinds of tragedies could be reduced. A determined nut job will do damage, regardless of whether there is strict gun control or not. However, taking away responsible individuals' ability to defend themselves and others, is not the solution. In fact, I would support allowing broader access for responsible, trained individuals to carry concealed weapons.

I can't completely agree. I don't think the answer is more guns. I think gun control is appropriate in the sense that we should limit the type of guns that are made publically available (you don't need a semi-automatic weapon with a 30 round clip to protect yourself from a home intruder), as well as improving the screening process in some jurisdictions for those individuals who are issued permits. That would not preclude one from carrying a concealed weapon assuming they meet that criteria.

Like I previously stated, this is about much more than just gun control, but that is something that is one of the factors that needs to be addressed.

Quote: Ayecarumba

The loss of life was tragic. To shoot innocent children is evil incarnate. However, if responsible, trained, individuals were allowed to store and carry weapons, even on a school campus, perhaps the loss of life due to these kinds of tragedies could be reduced. A determined nut job will do damage, regardless of whether there is strict gun control or not. However, taking away responsible individuals' ability to defend themselves and others, is not the solution. In fact, I would support allowing broader access for responsible, trained individuals to carry concealed weapons.

They are posting armed, uniformed police in my daughter's elementary school in response. But that would just be one more person for someone armed with an assault rifle to gun down on the way to the first graders. My b-i-l is a cop and there's only so much his vest can do to protect him.

The guns were legally obtained. They did absolutely nothing to protect the person who owned them. Someone pulled a gun on the Oregon mall shooter, then decided it was too risky to fire it with all the bystanders. The answer to guns can't always be more guns.

Quote: Ayecarumba

The loss of life was tragic. To shoot innocent children is evil incarnate. However, if responsible, trained, individuals were allowed to store and carry weapons, even on a school campus, perhaps the loss of life due to these kinds of tragedies could be reduced. A determined nut job will do damage, regardless of whether there is strict gun control or not. However, taking away responsible individuals' ability to defend themselves and others, is not the solution. In fact, I would support allowing broader access for responsible, trained individuals to carry concealed weapons.

There is an obesity crisis in this country. Would you propose that restaurants increase their portion sizes in response?

Quote: FarFromVegas

They are posting armed, uniformed police in my daughter's elementary school in response. But that would just be one more person for someone armed with an assault rifle to gun down on the way

All I can see is that this modern version of nut is always a complete coward who studiously avoids all but the most helpless and defenseless, completely avoiding any possibility of resistance.

Believe me when I say that gun-rights advocates dearly wish to find some way of preventing these things in future.

Quote: MidwestAP

I can't completely agree. I don't think the answer is more guns. I think gun control is appropriate in the sense that we should limit the type of guns that are made publically available (you don't need a semi-automatic weapon with a 30 round clip to protect yourself from a home intruder), as well as improving the screening process in some jurisdictions for those individuals who are issued permits. That would not preclude one from carrying a concealed weapon assuming they meet that criteria.

I understand the thought process, these are questions I ask myself all the time. But how do you propose "limiting the types of guns available to the public"?

Magazines in excess of 10 rounds number in the tens if not hundreds of millions. The most minimum of metal working skills are required to turn a 10 round into a 20, 30 or up. And have you ever seen someone even mildly proficient in reloading? I’m nowhere near a master and still require hours and hours more training, but using my State mandated 10 round clips, I could easily pump 120 rounds a minute out of my GLOCK.

Even if you could eradicate all 10+ round clips, even if you could prevent the further manufacturing of them, even if you could wave a magic wand and prevent anyone from owning more than one, ten round clip, is the slaughtering of 10, 5, or even 1 child acceptable?

It’s a fucked up world when you have to consider armed personnel in a school to keep it safe, but it’s the world we live in. And I fail to see where any sort of control would solve any of the problems we face.

“Though defensive violence will always be a ‘sad necessity’ in the eyes of men of principle, it would be still more unfortunate if wrongdoers should dominate just men.” – St Augustine

Even though it has little to do with this particular shooting as the guns taken were from the owner, not bought, but10s of thousands of guns are recorded as missing/ without a legal sale.

The Brady Center says only about 60% of guns get legally registered in the first place. That's sounds incredibly low, but even if it's half that assuming they're very anti-gun and partisan and going with the worst statistical year possible, that's still a lot of guns "just gone missing".

Don't know if they went to an upstanding citizen, or a guy who is going to rob someone.

Quote: Ayecarumba

The loss of life was tragic. To shoot innocent children is evil incarnate. However, if responsible, trained, individuals were allowed to store and carry weapons, even on a school campus, perhaps the loss of life due to these kinds of tragedies could be reduced. A determined nut job will do damage, regardless of whether there is strict gun control or not. However, taking away responsible individuals' ability to defend themselves and others, is not the solution. In fact, I would support allowing broader access for responsible, trained individuals to carry concealed weapons.

Quote: midwestgb

There is an obesity crisis in this country. Would you propose that restaurants increase their portion sizes in response?

Hehe, no. Are you saying restaurant portion sizes cause obesity? Taking choices away from responsible folks doesn't solve the problem of irresponsible / anti-social behavior.

Drunk driving in the U.S. kills way more children every month, but you don't hear a call for banning cars.

The shooter had a mental disorder. Is the solution to involuntarily incarcerate or constantly monitor all individuals who have the ability to harm others? No. It's not going to work. Allow individuals to defend themselves.