This is insightful and compelling and certainly careful thought must be given to substantive gun control. Having said that, may I give some of the reasons why many Americans would be staunchly opposed to it.
1. The right to bear arms (yes, military style arms) is seen as a deterrent to what many fear to be a Marxist socialist government that looms on the horizon. One of the first things that totalitarian governments do is to disarm the populace.
2. The cities, states, and even some countries that have enacted tough gun control laws have seen a precipitous rise in deaths involving guns - both pistols and semi-automatic weapons.
3. Our schools can be better served by changing them from soft targets to hard targets (metal detectors, cops stationed in the school, and teacher volunteers who undergo rigorous training being allowed to conceal carry).
4. Sadly, many that have slaughtered the innocents are mentally ill. We need better solutions and programs for identifying these potential domestic terrorists and providing comprehensive treatment for mental health.
For me personally I ask, "Is a political or constitutional right automatically the same right and practice for a Christian?" This issue at the very least gives me pause.
This is insightful and compelling and certainly careful thought must be given to substantive gun control. Having said that, may I give some of the reasons why many Americans would be staunchly opposed to it.
1. The right to bear arms (yes, military style arms) is seen as a deterrent to what many fear to be a Marxist socialist government that looms on the horizon. One of the first things that totalitarian governments do is to disarm the populace.
2. The cities, states, and even some countries that have enacted tough gun control laws have seen a precipitous rise in deaths involving guns - both pistols and semi-automatic weapons.
3. Our schools can be better served by changing them from soft targets to hard targets (metal detectors, cops stationed in the school, and teacher volunteers who undergo rigorous training being allowed to conceal carry).
4. Sadly, many that have slaughtered the innocents are mentally ill. We need better solutions and programs for identifying these potential domestic terrorists and providing comprehensive treatment for mental health.
For me personally I ask, "Is a political or constitutional right automatically the same right and practice for a Christian?" This issue at the very least gives me pause.