That Slippery Slope

E.J. Donner authors a piece at the Washington Post, talking about the current debate over gun laws.  He asks a question about why we re so ferociously opposed to new gun laws aren't asked to show empathy for victims of gun violence.

What is odd is that those with extreme pro-gun views — those pushing for new laws to allow people to carry just about anytime, anywhere — are never called upon to model similar empathy toward children killed, the mourning parents left behind, people in urban neighborhoods suffering from violence, or the majority of Americans who don’t own guns.

Well, E.J., let me answer that question for you.

We on the pro-gun side decry violence in all its forms.  And, we have tremendous empathy for the victims of gun violence.  Whether it comes in the form of gun violence or any other kind of violence.  We have extreme empathy for grieving parent.  We support laws already on the books that prohibit violence.  For example.

It is already against the law to murder people.  That law didn't stop the tragedy in Florida.

It is already against the law to carry a gun onto a school campus.  That law didn't stop the tragedy in Florida.

It is already against the law for a mentally-disturbed person to obtain a gun.  That law didn't stothe tragedy in Florida.

The law requires that mental health officials report unstable people to the NICS.  That law didn't stop the tragedy in Florida.

Those laws are already on the books, yet none of them stopped the tragedy in Florida.  I mourn for the students, I sympathize with the parents and grandparents.  I decry the failures, from the Feds, to the state officials, to the cops who didn't go in to stop the killing.  I decry those in the most emphatic way that I know how to decry them.

When a tragedy strikes, it's often a failure of human interactions.  Someone dropped the ball.  Someone didn't report, someone didn't react, someone didn't follow-through.  Yet, rather than blame the human failures, the liberals (those well-meaning, empathetic, reasonable liberals), don't want to hold our officials accountable, they want to go after the guns.  And, we see your agenda.  You are not interested in stopping tragedy unless it is the right tragedy with the right people. (where is the empathy for the parents in Chicago or Detroit every weekend?)

We see your agenda.  We've heard Hillary Clinton say "Turn them all in!"  We've heard Dianne Feinstein promote a confiscatory approach, We've seen localities pass stringent anti-gun laws and continue to deal with horrific gun violence because the local officials aren't interested  in locking up everyone who violates those laws.   We have seen liberal TV personalities violate gun laws on National TV and not be prosecuted.

Your agenda is clear, E.J.  You want the guns.  You are not interested in applying the laws already on the books, you are not interested in fixing the mental health problems.  You are not interested in fixing the problems of the inner cities.  You simply want my guns.  Your agenda is frightfully clear to we who cherish freedom.

I have tremendous empathy to victims of violence.  I have dedicated my life to keeping those around me safe.  I have neither tolerance nor respect for those who want to abrogate my freedom.

Later today, I'll host a meeting of like-minded folks at our monthly gun club match. We'll pray, we'll pledge allegiance, we'll stress safety, ad we'll shoot.    Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go make sure that the range is ready for freedom.