Readers Write: Shame on all of us after Las Vegas

The Island Now

Shame on All of Us

 Another mass shooting, probably the gravest  in our history.

 It was not perpetrated by an immigrant, a Muslim or an American recruited by ISIS or Al Qaeda.

It was an act of domestic terrorism that could not have been prevented by stronger restrictions on immigration, a “beautiful” border wall or more effective enforcement of immigration laws.

 Although there is nothing we can do to completely eliminate the occurrence of such depraved acts, we know that there are steps that can be taken to limit them.

 Yet, we do nothing to limit access to these weapons of domestic violence, such as regulating access by felons, those suffering from mental illness and individuals on the “no-fly” list; eliminating the gun show and private sale loophole to background checks; and banning firearms so powerful that they cannot be justified as hunting or sporting weapons.

 Columbine, Tucson, Orlando, Aurora, Virginia Tech, Colorado Springs, Newtown, Fort Hood, the Washington Navy Yard, the congressional baseball practice field.   And that’s just an abbreviated list.  521 mass shootings in the space of 477 days reported by The New York Times.

 So many murders in the name of the Second Amendment.  Is this what we mean by American exceptionalism?

 We recognize limitations on our First Amendment rights, such as free speech (you may not falsely cry fire in a crowded theatre) and a free press (libel laws), but somehow the Second Amendment right to bear arms is absolute.

 Shame on the occupant of the Oval Office who calls these murders “evil,” but lacks the moral compass and courage to use the power of his office to advocate for meaningful change.

 Who tweets disparaging comments about government leaders of other countries which are victimized by terrorists, but promises to come through “big” for the National Rifle Association.

Shame on the Supreme Court for its ahistorical and distorted reading of the Second Amendment.

Shame on the gun and ammunition manufacturers who place profits above the lives of the American people.

Shame on our representatives in Congress for not regulating guns to the extent permitted by the Supreme Court.

Shame on those elected officials for accepting tribute from the gun lobby to fuel their campaign chests.

 Shame on each and every one of us for voting for those officials who continue to do the bidding of the gun lobby.

 So where will the next mass murder take place?  And will you, or one of your children or grandchildren, a parent, a spouse or other loved one be there to take a bullet?

 Sadly, if the deaths of 20 six- and seven-year old children, together with six adults, at the Sandy Hook Elementary School were not enough to bring about a change in gun regulation, it seems unrealistic to expect the Las Vegas shootings to restore sanity and humanity to the issue.

 Do not mistake the NRA’s call for regulation of bump stocks, which turn semi-automatic weapons into virtual machine guns, as a concession to meaningful gun regulation.

 First, they’re not calling for a ban on bump stocks, only regulation.

Second, at the same time the NRA has renewed its push for a bill that would allow anyone who is licensed by one state to carry a concealed weapon to be able to do so in any other state that allows concealed weapons. 

So, the weakest state regulator would set the standard for nationwide possession of concealed weapons.

 Last, but not least, by proposing regulation of bump stocks the NRA is attempting to pre-empt consideration of more meaningful regulation, giving the illusion of compromise and substituting regulation of a gun accessory for the needed regulation of guns.

 So, shame on all of us for expressing our horror, lighting candles, observing a moment of silence and then turning our attention to other matters while continuing to do nothing to halt this carnage, this madness.

 

Jay N. Feldman

Port Washington

Share this Article