Beyond tears and prayers...

The same day I learned about the Las Vegas massacre, I read that Congress had been considering a vote on HR 3668, which would repeal restrictions on gun silencers - making it harder to detect the source of gunfire during mass shooting.

There is nothing new about the gun debate, which comes down to three major arguments and counter-arguments:

1. “Right to bear arms”. I wonder whether what the Founding Fathers had in mind was simply the need of our young nation to have a well-armed militia against European colonial empires.

2. “Guns don’t kill people, people do”. True, but the main purpose of guns is to make killing easier and faster.

3. “The only protection against a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun”. Sounds good, but no evidence, even in states where many citizens have permits to carry concealed weapons, or where open carry is legal.

Many scholars consider gun violence a public health crisis, but we know too well that scientific studies and reasoning seldom change extremist mindsets. Our American exceptionalism prevents us from learning about gun regulations from other civil countries in Europe, Canada and Australia. President Trump labeled the Las Vegas shooting as an act of “pure evil”. I know there are many responsible gun owners out there. Perhaps they can join me in asking the question: By opposing gun control and safety regulations, are the NRA supporters and our Congress acting as enablers of evil?

October 2, 2017 - Submitted to the Gazette Times, Corvallis, OR