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| -Land of the Free | |
| Does the NRA have a conscience? | |
| 2017-12-01 | |
| [Citizen-Times] Devin Patrick Kelley, a 26-year-old Texan, killed 26 people before apparently taking his own earlier this month during church services at Sutherland Springs Baptist Church in Texas. News reports indicate the slaughter was the result of a heated “domestic situation.” All indications are that upon his bad conduct discharge from the U.S. Air Force he should have been identified as an individual who could not buy or possess weapons legally. That crucial information was never relayed to civilian authorities. Thus, Kelley obtained and used a Ruger rapid-fire assault rifle as he carried out his atrocious mass murder. Correction: He could not participate in the federal firearms transfer system. He had every right to buy a firearm outside of the federal system and to possess a firearm. With perhaps some oversimplification, here is an attempt to shed light on how and why this tragedy took place. Read my attempt: He was a liberal murdering bastard. End of explanation. There are two “doors” that regulate human behavior. One is the conscience. The New World Dictionary defines the conscience as: “a knowledge or sense of right and wrong, with a compulsion to do right”. The second door is consequences-natural physical consequences along with man-made laws and consequences. The conscience has the potential to require the individual to do what he/she thinks is right. It can also require the individual to not do what he/she thinks is wrong. A major trouble with the conscience is that it must be obeyed voluntarily. Humans have the choice to obey or violate their consciences on a daily basis. In regard to consequences they are seldom totally predictable in nature. Also, consequences set up by man-made laws are very difficult to enforce consistently. So far, so good. In the classic serial killer novel made into the movie “the Silence of the Lambs” this duality of conscience and consequences is very well portrayed by Anthony Hopkins as Hannibal Lecter. Hannibal has no conscience to prevent him from killing people who get in his way. He kills them and eats chosen “delicious” body parts. Hannibal displays little fear of being caught in his criminal/anti-social behavior. He has proven himself very capable of avoiding capture and confinement. The National Rifle Association (NRA) along with thousands of its members insist that the Second Amendment to our Constitution guarantees the right of Americans to own firearms. Their mantra is that “Guns don’t kill - people kill.” To many it appears the NRA is willing to ignore the harsh reality that too many people have been killed by people wielding assault rifles. Not an assault rifle. Assault rifles are capable of firing automatic fire. The firearm Kelly used was a semiautomatic, in this article deliberately misrepresented as an assault rifle. These are automatic rifles that fire dozens of rounds before requiring reloading. How long will the NRA shirk its responsibility to support legislation that sets reasonable limits on (A) who can legally own firearms and (B) which firearms pose too great a risk of harming or killing Americans and, therefore, must be controlled or banned for the safety of all? What could possibly motivate that influential organization to continue with its present philosophy and lobbying to Congress? Surely people don’t have to be told the answer to that question! It is money. The notion of "legally own" is such a sad thing, built up by the press and government over the span of two generations, almost as an article of faith. Most people, I would guess about 90 percent, think that because they have not run afoul of the law, they have the right to own a firearm. They ignore the reading of the 2nd Amendment. Their rights, despite the notion of "legally own" are granted by God, not by government. The 2nd Amendment serves as a admonition to government not to infringe on that right. I have personally chosen not to join the NRA because of their rigid stance that perpetuates this needless killing. I will continue, like many of my friends, neighbors and relatives to own simple non-assault firearms for personal safety. Good for you! Just what your shooting sports friends need. A Kommie scold. You're worse than a vegan who insists everyone be aware he is vegan. There was a time when peoples’ consciences told them not kill people with their firearms. There was a time when assault rifles were not readily available. There was a time when people did not play video games that resulted in people dying before their eyes. For some who have never witnessed a killing this surely must diminish the value of human life. The good old days, eh?
Personally, I think being a bitchy scold is your best idea. See your shooting sports line up to spend evenings in a diner, sipping coffee, telling them about how you'd like them to be disarmed. It is your best destiny. And you're too late on the assault rifles. They are heavily regulated by virtue of federal gun laws, starting in 1933 et seq. There is a prevent-minimize-control continuum that is considered in regard to disasters and tragedies. Prevention is generally the least expensive choice. Minimization is more expensive. Correction is usually much more expensive than either of those two. The huge trouble with the correction phase is that human life cannot be restored once taken. That is a somber reality that NRA officials and many members need to ponder on. Are they so intent on the right to possess any firearm that they can convince themselves they have no part in the prevention of killing innocent people? There is at least a thin line here between what our military personnel should have and what civilians should or should not be allowed to own. Most of my neighbors say they see no need for any hunter or gun enthusiast to own assault rifles. But in government, when you pass laws chock full of involuntary measures to prevent some ill, invariably individual rights are violated, sometime grossly by those laws. You were doing so well straight up lying about firearms, then you go and commit a false logic: "all my friends say" and so on. In her great song “Superman” Donna Fargo sings, “Now, let’s go through this one more time. You do your thing and I’ll do mine. But, honey baby, we got to draw the line when your hang-up starts messin’ with mine”. It is becoming quite clear that the NRA’s hang-up is messing with precious human lives. Bob Dylan asked,”How many deaths will it take ‘til we know that too many people have died?” When will their collective consciences kick in and tell them that profit should never trump human life? Donna Fargo, that Constitutional philosopher. And don't get me started on Bob Dylan's masterful multi volume work on Constitutional rights. Should we beg NRA members to discontinue their membership in an attempt to persuade that powerful organization to support legislation banning assault rifles? | |
| Posted by:badanov |
| #7 In the words of the great Archie Bunker: "Would it make you feel any better, little girl, if they was pushed out of windows?" |
| Posted by: gorb 2017-12-01 13:08 |
| #6 Where's the part of the story where the NRA Good Samaritan shot this POS and stopped his murdering rampage? Buried in this line. killed 26 people before apparently taking his own Everything subsequent is posturing. |
| Posted by: swksvolFF 2017-12-01 12:59 |
| #5 Where's the part of the story where the NRA Good Samaritan shot this POS and stopped his murdering rampage? |
| Posted by: JohnQC 2017-12-01 11:17 |
| #4 I believe their conscience is of a higher order - that of preventing oppressive authoritarian/totalitarian government destroying our basic human liberties. Of which, hundreds of thousands of our fellow citizens have already given their 'last full measure of devotion' to prevent. |
| Posted by: Procopius2k 2017-12-01 10:57 |
| #3 On the other hand, if the NRA had a conscience, they wouldn't have sent me three "give us your money" letters a week for the past year |
| Posted by: Vortigern Jones5155 2017-12-01 09:20 |
| #2 The NRA routinely supports measures that keep guns away from the insane. The crank who wrote this piece is simply a militant ignoramus who won't let facts get in the way of his hatred. |
| Posted by: Rob Crawford 2017-12-01 08:29 |
| #1 If only we could pass just the right laws, create the perfect rule set, we could finally achieve a Perfect Society and end hate, violence and murder. (Wait, don't we already have laws against killing people? Shut up, he explained) The fallacy underlying banning guns is the idea that if we remove the tool, we stop the impulse. But murder is more about intent than implements. In Britain, they got rid of guns and suddenly found themselves in an epidemic of knife crimes. Murder is fungible, if you will. People with intent will find a way. |
| Posted by: SteveS 2017-12-01 01:49 |