My comment on Mark Shea's blog regarding Gun Control

I'm sure the comments are dwindling, but here's my three cents. First, solutions.  

Gun control.  Exactly what would such measures accomplish?  I"m OK with looking at ideas, but they should actually work.  Would various ideas proposed really stop, or at least limit, these things?  Remember, like plane crashes, the number of mass shootings for a nation our size with our population is actually rather small.  And most, despite recent news stories and the last few years, were accomplished with normal guns/handguns.  Most of which were legally purchased.  And it appears that many, when the dust settles, wouldn't have been stopped by the proposals that come out in their wake.  How exactly would such proposals stop these particular tragedies is a question worth answering before plowing forward.  

Smart guns?  Sure.  Why not.  Inventions.  Just don't let the government mandate them, certainly until we're sure they won't hurt lawful gun owners or innocent people.  I think that's a fair and sensible demand.  And if deep down someone doesn't really care because deep down they have a problem with guns and those who own them, then there you go. 

Mental health?  Yeah, let's look there as well.  From the 50s on, we've put a premium on protecting mental health illness from abusive treatment.  The payback has been there is little to do when someone has mental health issues and doesn't want to  be treated beyond how they want to be treated.  How many of the recent mass killings have been by people actively seeking therapy?  What's that even mean?  What's it say? What exactly can we do that might reduce these things without stampeding those suffering from mental illness? That's certainly worth looking at. 

It's not all about mass killings.  Gun violence is bolstered by stats including suicides (that most gun law proposals would not touch), and of course drug and gang and crime on crime stats.  We won't even get into the disproportionate level of gun violence within minority communities, primarily within the inner cities. The crimes of passion or some guy getting pissed and killing someone over a potato chip make up a small portion of such crimes in proportion to our population.  If we want to get serious about it, we'll get serious about it.  Or not.  

We're not New Zealand, or England, or China, or any other beautiful country that exceeds the perfection of the New Jerusalem.  For better or worse, we are a major super sized nation, with a very large, and very diverse population in the cross-hairs of international mega events, with a premium on freedom.  Freedom, by the way, that we were authoritatively told for ten f**king years should never be compromised, even in response to a tragic event like 9/11.  We can change that of course.  But if 9/11 wasn't enough to warrant change in our principles regarding freedom, liberty and rights, then why now?  Maybe it's me, but shifts like that always always get my attention. 

Admit there are extremes and ulterior motives on both sides (if not all sides) of the debate.  That's obvious and common sense.  I doubt any side is cleansed from all potential for sin.  Admitting that helps put at ease those who want to solve the problem, but get the funny feeling not everyone is in it for the right reasons.  And, of course, it's always true when dealing with anything.  

It's the society stupid.  Yes, I'm afraid that if we get real brave and grow a couple, we'll admit that a large part of the problem is the society we've built.  As fun as it is to insist the problems are always "Their" fault, if we really want to solve the problems we'd step back and admit there are parts of our culture today that we indulge in that are likely as much to blame as any part of the culture "they" indulge in. Are we brave enough (and dare I say, humble enough) to admit that? Or worse, actually do something about that?  Remains to be seen. 

Those are a few thoughts.  We won't get into Joe the plumber, or the media rallying around a grieving father to the exclusion of those whose grief doesn't fit the agenda.  Again, this is if we want to try to solve the problems, If we just want to advance agendas, score points, win one for the team, then I doubt we'll do much but accomplish nothing, which seems the one accomplishment our modern generation of adults is particularly adept at.