I own guns. I shoot guns. I like guns. I even volunteered at North Spring Shooting Range for about six months. I left due to health considerations that had nothing to do with the range.
I am also an advocate for controls on guns and shooting guns.
Last week hundreds of teenagers descended on Washington D.C. to demand Congress do something to protect students in schools.
A bill was introduced in Congress to ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines. Congress refused to even so much as debate the bill.
Why? Because, clear and simple, Congress is scared of the National Rifle Association (NRA) and the gun lobby.
The NRA has become a joke. Yet, the organization is incredible powerful. According to at least one Senator, the NRA owns Congress. It has become nothing more than a shill for the firearm industry. That wasn’t always the case. At one time the NRA stood for firearm safety. Not any more. Now all they do is throw money at politicians in exchange for votes that protect the firearm industry. It’s time to disassociate with the NRA. Completely.
Polls show two-thirds of people in the United States favor stricter gun laws. But our politicians refuse to act. There is an election coming up later this year. Use the one power you have to do something about it. If a politician refuses to vote for legislation that will make it more difficult for people to do what was done in Florida, and Las Vegas, and Orlando, and Sandy Hook, and all the other places mass shootings occurred, then vote them out of office. It is the only way we can break the NRA.
If you attend a town meeting, the first question you need to ask someone running for national office (Mitt Romney comes to mind) is, “Will you support stricter firearm laws?” If the answer is not a bold and decisive, “Yes,” then that candidate should not be elected. Period.
The tragedy in Las Vegas, and more recently in Florida begs for Congress to do something to protect us.
Firearm advocates will argue guns don’t kill people. People kill people. That is one of the talking points of the NRA. That is what the NRA would have people believe.
Not true — guns kill people. Guns in the hands of unscrupulous people do, in fact, kill people. Assault rifles, used in most mass killings, have the potential to kill lots of people. I think the tragedy in Las Vegas is proof of that statement. No other gun on the market could have reeked the havoc that occurred there. Let me be clear — no other gun.
Assault rifles were developed by the military for one purpose — to kill people. It is very good for what it was developed for.
Seeing this some 24 years ago, Congress passed the Public Safety and Recreational Firearms Use Protection Act. Then-president Bill Clinton signed the legislation into law the same day. The law banned assault weapons and large capacity magazines. Numerous attempts where made to overturn the law, but all failed in court.
The ban was in place 10 years and was eliminated in 2004, due to a sunset provision. Attempts to extend the law failed.
During the past 14 years sales of assault weapons have gone through the roof and so have mass shootings. Gun fanatics were afraid they might be outlawed again and stocked up to be sure they had one, or several. I know people who have owned assualt weapons for going on two years that have never been shot. They were purchased when it was believed Hillary Clinton would be elected.
One of the arguments espoused by the NRA is that if someone is killed by an automobile we don’t outlaw automobiles. No, but we license drivers. Drivers must take a test before they get a license. If people don’t obey driving laws, we take away their license. And, and this is a big AND — automobiles serve a useful purpose. Guns don’t. And yet anyone can purchase an assualt rifle and a high capacity magazine.
Another argument I’ve heard many times is that only a good guy with a gun can stop a bad guy with a gun. We issue concealed weapon permits in this state. Many states do. For what purpose? To stop a bad guy? How many of you have used a gun to stop a bad guy? How many of you know someone who has used a gun to stop a bad guy? It is so rare as to be almost non-existent. Several years ago a man was on a rampage at Trolley Square in Salt Lake City. He was shot and stopped by someone with a gun — an off-duty police officer, trained in firearm use and in stopping a bad guy. I am glad he was there. But, other than that one instance, I am unaware of anyone in Utah using a concealed weapon to stop a bad guy.
People are starting to stand up and be counted. The mayor of Dallas told the NRA to take their scheduled national conference somewhere else.
The NRA and gun fanatics are not welcome in Dallas.
After Florida Senator Marco Rubio defended gun laws these three signs appeared outside his office, “SLAUGHTERED IN SCHOOL,” “AND STILL NO GUN CONTROL?” “HOW COME, MARCO RUBIO?”
Students at the high school where the shooting took place have been vocal about the lack of action on the congressional level, even held a march on Washington.
Recently Megan Kelly even went on a tyraid against the NRA and Congress. Kelly is a noted conservative news person who worked for Fox News for many years.
Senator Kirsten Hillenbrad is calling on everyone in Congress to stop taking money from the NRA. She says the NRA has a, “choke hold” on Congress. She is calling on people to “shame” any memober of Congress who takes money from the NRA. She calls lack of action, “morally wrong.”
I am joining the cry for Congress to do something. Stop taking money from the NRA and be reasonable. I realize that by writing this I am opening myself to criticism. There are lots of firearm fanatics in the world. Some of them right here in Carbon County.
I am not against guns. I think they have a recreational purpose. I am not against the Second Amendment. But, we must be reasonable. I will continue to shoot guns — at targets. All I’m asking is reason.
Senator Rubio recently argued that making it more difficult to get a weapon will not keep people from getting them. If someone is determined to do what was done in Florida, he will find a way to get a gun, Rubio argues.
That may be true. Probably is since the market has been flooded in recent years. But, does that argument then keep us from doing something? I think not. I think we do everything in our power to make it more difficult for people to get assault weapons. If we discourage one person from obtaining such a weapon, perhaps we can save 17 lives. Perhaps your child or your grandchild. I think it’s worth trying.
This is not just a national issue. Just because it hasn’t happened in Utah doesn’t mean it won’t. In fact, I don’t think it’s a matter “if” it will happen in Utah, but “when.” Maybe right here in Carbon County.
So, if there are people who don’t like my opinion, all I can say, is bring it on. Something must be done. Something. Start by dropping your membership to the NRA and vote against every politician who takes money from the NRA.
This madness must stop.
Time to stop the madness and get behind meaningful assault rifle controls
STEVE CHRISTENSEN