Wow. I am shocked.

Putting it bluntly, we’ve done a disservice to our violence problems by making the political argument about guns instead of whatever causes people to be violent in the first place. Anger, alcohol, drugs, economic hopelessness, reckless driving—they can all precipitate tragedy. Simply removing guns from the equation does not solve the larger problem. Worse, it gives the wrong impression about what can and should be done to help those who are troubled. The real solution to preventing gun violence is not taking away the tools, but tackling its causes: poverty, inadequate health care, mental illness, joblessness, inadequate housing, and poor education. Desperate people will make anything a weapon. We need to eliminate desperation, not guns.

So, yes, the girl who wants to legalize gay marriage and thinks the GOP is out of touch with progressive-minded Republicans is fiercely protective of her Second Amendment rights and finds it empowering, especially as a woman, to fire off a few rounds and get closer and closer to the desired target. This is one issue where I’m red through-and-through. Last year, I heard Marcus Luttrell, author of Lone Survivor, speak at the NRA Convention in Louisville, Kentucky. His story—Luttrell was awarded the Navy Cross for his courage during a devastating firefight in 2005 that left him the only survivor of his SEAL team in eastern Afghanistan—was moving and inspiring beyond words. Besides, you can’t miss the NRA billboards as you drive around Phoenix these days. How could I not be pumped?

I find myself trying to explain to my Democrat friends—and a few Republican ones—why I remain a Republican and what I love about this party. I also feel like I am always trying to bridge the divide between red and blue, conservative and liberal, Democrat and Republican. This seems as good as any other place to begin. Gun control has become one of those "Republican issues" that the left has demonized as much as the right has demonized gay marriage. In fact, the Democratic Party is guilty of politicizing the issue to where it’s almost unrecognizable in public discourse. It's no longer about a fundamental American right of responsible, trained, and law-abiding citizens. It's about Us vs. Them. Blood-thirsty, violence-loving hicks vs. straight-laced, normal, thinking urban white-collar workers. That's wrong. The NRA is about upholding Second Amendment rights and teaching people to be responsible with those freedoms. I’m a proud supporter.

The sooner we concentrate on the real problems that lead to gun violence and not the guns, we'll get closer to saving lives and keeping our nation safer. Do I own a gun? No. I don't feel I'm skilled enough yet to keep one safely in my possession. But that doesn't mean someday I won't own one. Or several.

I wonder how many Cocktail Parties will cross her off the A-List now.

Posted by: eddiebear at 11:02 AM | Comments (3) | Add Comment
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