Guns, Guns, Guns, what're we gonna do with all them there guns?
What is the answer? There have been more mass shootings this year than days on the calendar [355]. It's slaughter, a blood bath, but most of all an American tragedy. Everybody knows the killing needs to stop. Only an idiot would say we need more guns to protect us from people who have more guns. Not only that, most of the guns that have been used in mass shootings were purchased legally...that's right, legally! So, if that fact is true, then gun control used to stop mass shootings is a joke. Prior law abiding citizens are buying guns and taking lives at a rate that is unheard of in our history.
Let me be personally clear. I'm a gun owner. I have four guns, three rifles and one handgun. I am a sportsman and hunt deer and elk and sometimes birds [ducks/geese/pheasants/quail/]. I do not, however, have an Uzi, a Mac10, an M-16, or an AK-47. I find those guns a little offensive when it comes to hunting the game I hunt, so I don't carry them or own them. In defense of those who do own such guns, I must say they are a hoot to shoot. You can go out on the gun range and burn $200 worth of ammo in less than an hour and nurse a sore shoulder for a week with a smile on your face. Those semi-autos are fun, but useless when it comes to hunting.
My gun owner pals who carry semi-autos will tell you I'm wrong. Those guns are good weapons to hunt with. My retort is, “Okay, if they are so good why do you need a 30-round clip? Are you planning on flock shooting a herd of elk?” [A friend of mine who works for Fish and Game tells me this is not an unheard of event.] “If so, it's illegal and you'll go to jail if you do.” My friends will say, “We don't have to have the rifle on automatic. We can have it shoot only one bullet at a time.” Then I tell them, “Then why not use a conventional rifle?” At this point the debate begins to draw emotional blood as name calling takes over the conversation.
Here's what I believe. As long as there is an un-amended Second Amendment to the Constitution, you will not get guns out of the hands of mass killers. It just won't happen. You can stiffen laws. Make new laws. Jail people. Make it a pain in the butt to even apply to own a gun and the killing will continue. If it is legal for law abiding folks to own weapons, then people will misuse the weapons and mass shootings will be the result. So, the answer is obvious, amend the amendment. Will that happen? Doubtful. We are a nation that loves our guns. We consider them iconic and part of our culture. If a politician brought a bill to the floor of Congress stating the desire to amend number two, he/she would probably not be running in the next election. It's political suicide to talk gun control in our country.
If the Second Amendment stands as written and no amendment is attached to it, there will be more mass slayings. That too has become an American standard of illogical thinking.
Nothing is accomplished by killing anyone. In fact, the mass slayings are disgusting but it ain't gonna quit any time soon, folks.