I don't know why this time, unlike last time, or the time before, or the time before, is different. Another mass killing spree. Another deranged shooter. But it is different, because this time, the purity of the 5 and 6 year old victims are magnified by their manifest innocence. And the heroism of the adults that defended their tiny charges speaks testaments to their valor.
Their innocence demands, requires, insists, that they did not die in vain.
We can't hide behind the tired excuses anymore. We can't simply shrug and say, "nothing can be done", because ... of course ... something can be done. Something must be done.
According to Second Amendment as interpreted by the Supreme Court, we can't ban firearms outright. But the right to bear arms is not absolute and we can, through our elected representatives seek to balance the right to bear arms with the rights of the innocents. We can, at least, reduce the carnage.
Specifically:
1. Congress shall enact legislation funding the anonymous purchase and destruction of automatic and semi-automatic firearms, high capacity magazine clips, and ammunition at full market value.
2. Congress shall enact legislation banning the manufacture, importation or sale of automatic or semi-automatic firearms and high capacity magazine clips effective upon the first anniversary of the deaths of the Sandy Hook victims.
3. Congress shall enact legislation declaring the sale or possession of automatic or semi-automatic firearms and high capacity magazine clips as a Class D felony, punishable by not less than 2 years in prison and a fine of not less than $5,000 to become effective on the second anniversary of the deaths of the Sandy Hook victims.
4. Congress shall enact legislation defining the owner of illegal automatic or semi-automatic firearms or high capacity magazine clips as accessories before the fact to any crime committed using the owners property, and punishable in proportion to the severity of the act, effective on the third anniversary of the deaths of the Sandy Hook victims.
5. Congress shall enact legislation requiring and funding full-time police protection at points of entrance to all publicly funded primary school buildings.
6. Congress shall enact legislation taxing the importation and sale of lawful firearms and ammunition at the rate necessary to fully fund these provisions.
If there's one power that Congress DOES have, is the power to tax.