Guns, Murder and Delusional Politicians

A whole lot of people were killed and wounded at a college in Oregon. It is a tragedy and our hearts and prayers should go out to their families and friends. I personally have known six people killed in workplace violence in two separate events. I have written previously how there are no winners when these things happen and that the family and friends of the killer often are harmed as much as the family and friends of the victims. Having said that,  I am not for outlawing guns; but, I also don't think everyone needs to own a machine gun. I don't even think the police need machine guns and I have written about that also. While I believe in the right to own a gun, I am also willing to have a rational discussion on the matter and not just make believe there are no issues to address. This however is not the discussion I plan on having at the moment.

After hearing about the mass shooting in Oregon I knew what the conservative politicians would say, more of the garbage they always say about it. They talk about how there are unstable people out there and they could have killed with a knife or as Jeb Bush said, things happen. The truly insane right wingers claim that when these things happen, they never really happened or that they were staged. Sorry, these things do and have happened. When they do discuss these events in such a manner, they lose all credibility and respect.

There is a problem with the discussion. It is extremist on both sides and delusional on the right. The constitution did not give a right to gun ownership so that people could kill their spouses, rob liquor stores or commit mass murder. The right is not absolute and was not intended to be. You do not have the right to own nuclear bombs. Not all weapons are to be in the hands of the citizens without having certain limitations. The constitution guaranteed the right to own weapons for self protection and for citizen militias under the control of the state government. Now, as long as the constitution protects the right to gun ownership, we may have to accept that sometimes they will be misused. If you disagree with that result then one would need to attempt to change the constitution to outlaw guns, it cannot be legally done by simple local legislation. What the proper level of weapons regulation is is a question that should be openly addressed and not ignored or cheated.

The biggest problem we face right now is a refusal by the left to concede that gun ownership is guaranteed by the constitution and the rights refusal to admit that there may be a problem when 17 year olds can own automatic rifles and kill their classmates in large numbers. I do not believe now is the time for the discussion on gun control as it is disrespectful of the families of the victims and I also do not believe it is time for disregarding people's concerns over the matter, it is a time for grieving, not decision making, that can wait until after all the victims have been buried. When a discussion is to be had regarding what the constitutional right should entail, it should be done dispassionately and with cool heads. I don't see that from our politicians, instead I see both sides whipping up their followers into a frenzy and that is what disgusts me at the moment.