After my last post, this title might seem a little
odd. After all, I just spent a lot of
time telling all of you that Christians can be pro-gun, right? Why would I turn around and talk about why that’s
a problem?
Well, the two are not entirely contradictory. I still hold to the belief that a Christian
can be pro-gun (can be, not has to be).
However, there’s an issue that I’m seeing in this whole debate. Gun control has been a debate for a very long
time, but more recently it has been a reaction to the tragedy at Sandy
Hook.
Politicians and advocates of gun
control have reacted to the violent shooting, and gun owners immediately have
reacted in defense of their rights to own guns.
“If you outlaw guns, only criminals will have guns!” and “Guns don’t
kill people, people kill people!”
There’s one thing that the pro-gun people are missing though. If you don’t want guns to be controlled, how
do you suggest we stop the violence that results in tragedies like Sandy Hook?
Here’s what I see happening: we don’t want our guns
taken away. I hesitate to say “toys” and
I hesitate to say “weapons” because guns are different things to different
people. To the married man with three
small kids who lives in a dangerous city, it means protection for his precious
children. To the gun enthusiast who
lives in the backwoods of Kentucky, it means recreation. Regardless, these people have something to
lose so they react defensively. I
understand that. However, we need to
grapple with this: SOMETHING needs to be done.
The Washington Post reports that 84 people died in
mass shootings in 2012, not including the shooters that killed themselves. New Republic reports that 45% of the deaths
due to mass shootings in the past 30 years have happened in the last 6
years. There are no signs that the
numbers are going to stop increasing anytime soon.
I’m not saying that this means that the pro-gun
position is indefensible. On the
contrary, I hope that we can take care of this problem without strict gun
control. What I am saying, though, is
that we cannot spit in the face of Americans concerned about violence, tag them
as “mindless liberals” and not offer an alternative solution. Something needs to be done.
This is normally the part where I offer my solution
to the mess. Unfortunately, at this
point, I don’t have a very good one. I
have been inclined to say leave the laws on how many guns and how much ammo you
can buy alone and tighten the laws on who can buy guns so that dangerous people
can’t get their hands on guns. However,
would that really work? The man
responsible for the shooting at Sandy Hook killed his mother and stole her guns
with which he shot the kids at the school.
I don’t have an answer. I’m
looking for one. This is an unresolved
problem with the pro-gun position. So I
ask you, what is the solution?
No answer seems to be the best answer. The question that comes before "what is the solution?" is "is there a solution?"
ReplyDeleteIt seems to me there is not. More laws, less laws. If guns weren't invented, there would be something to take their place in these killings. Seems too late for that now. We join with the earth in offering up these cries against the effects of sin.
I don't believe there is a clear "solution" either. In your post "The Birth of a Tragedy" I think you make the point very well. Our God may bow out from the heaping the blessings on this piece of ground we call North America, however, HE knows HIS people and HE will be faithful to HIS people because HE cannot be unfaithful. This world is passing away and with it common trifles.
ReplyDelete2 Chron 7:14 . . . if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.
I can still remember my grandmother telling me of the trials of the dust-bowl in Oklahoma and the stock market crash. HE has a remnant, and HE will bring them home.
Lastly an Amen to, "We join with the earth in offering up these cries against the effects of sin."