On December 1st, 1984 New York State passed the first mandatory seat belt law. It was not about retroactively saving the hundreds of thousands who had died prior to the law, it was about the next guy.
Before the Blue Dogs, Republicans and Libertarians start the amen thoughts and prayers chorus, let us remember more than 20 people were gunned down sitting in the pews of their local church yesterday in Sutherland Springs, Texas. Among the dead, was a five-year-old and a seventy-two-year-old. Gun advocates are rehearsing their excuses, the NRA is printing new copies of the worn out “good guy with a gun” speech and in a few weeks, we will talk about it. At least that is what is always said, it is either too soon, too crass or too cowardly for Congress to do something. We will talk about it after the families have had time to mourn.
You remember the Congressional Vegas Sub-committee on Bump Stocks…?
Those who want every American armed to the teeth from cradle to grave, play the waiting game. They heap God and shame on those who dare bring gun legislation to the minds of a bereaved nation, schedule an imaginary exchange of ideas and liberals are pacified, relent and go back to chasing shiny balls of distraction.
We are quickly approaching the fifty-fourth year since the assassination of former President John Fitzgerald Kennedy. The murder of Kennedy, led directly to the Gun Control Act of 1968 back when America had common sense. A part of the law prohibited dishonorably discharged service members from owning or possessing firearms. Lee Harvey Oswald was a dishonorably discharged marine. Apparently, with little circumspection, the current Congress passed legislation in March, enabling mentally ill veterans to own firearms. This gift to the gun sellers, propagated by the NRA, is opposed by most Veterans groups because of the high rates of suicides and PTSD. Mental health legislation, more often than not, is the idea from conservatives and gets tabled for the discussion (wink, wink) after the mourning period.
The death toll continues to rise and yesterday was the 377th official mass shootings this year alone. Lots of thoughts and prayers have been left at the gravesites and front doors of both the dead and survivors. I cannot speak for the dead or the loved ones who live with the heartache and heartbreak every day. I am willing to hazard a guess that if the dead could speak they would give up every prayer, every thought, every flower, and every tear from a loved one if their deaths meant something or someone would stop the next one. Just like in 1984 the seat belt law that now mandatorily requires that we click, was meant to save the next baby, grandmother or mom, and dad from flying through a windshield.
Can we finally go beyond the sorrowful thoughts and prayers and think and be responsible?
My idea, let’s go back to when America had common sense…
To the victims and families of Sutherland Springs, Texas