February 5, 2013 by David K. Sutton
You Can’t Bridge The Gun Chasm
After two months of gun control and gun rights rhetoric, there is one thing that has become painfully obvious — there’s simply no way we can span the fissure between gun “rights” advocates and gun “control” advocates. I’m not sure even the most skilled arbiter could bring forth a workable solution for both sides. One side believes nothing should be done to existing gun laws, well, except to further weaken them. The other side wants very strict controls, up to and including bans on certain types of firearms.
The simple reality is this — there are people who have grown up around guns and there are people who have not. I’m in the later camp, and I can honestly say I do not understand the mindset of the former camp. Even if I think some of their arguments have merit (not common, but it occasionally happens), I still can’t understand why it matters so much to them that is rises above everything else.
I can’t digest why gun advocates cling vehemently to their unshakable stance on gun rights when we have so many more pressing issues to deal with. And I do not sympathize with their perceived loss of material rights when we still have not achieved universal human rights.
I reject the idea of “sport” when it comes to guns. Yes, I recognize that guns are used for sport, but guns will always be violent killing tools. That is what I think when I think guns. They are not for sport, they are for killing. That is why they were invented. That is why they exist. I do not think I’m alone on this, and that’s why I say you can’t bridge the gun chasm.
