Political leaders, it seems, are cognizant that they may deprive their constituents of what they need but that those voters cannot be held back from what they want.
It may not be so much that political leaders are all weak as it is that what people want is so strong. And a powerful axiom in politics is to be able to “pick your battles” in order to remain a leader.
I do not have a solution for gun violence. The phrase, “it’s complicated” seems to be an understatement.
In 1934, in response to gun violence by criminals, the National Firearms Act was created to regulate some types of firearms. Fully automatic machine guns were regulated as well as the use of silencers and rifles/shotguns having barrels less than 18 inches.
These weapons are not for sale in legitimate retail outlets and do not seem to be weapons of choice in school shootings.
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Years back, while at home in the evening and on the phone with a friend, noises from the back of the home, more audible than the cat scratching at the door, had me reaching for a military-style semi-automatic carbine.
Alerting the friend on the phone of that tip to trouble, I made my way to the darkened kitchen, turning on the light and seeing an intruder coming through from the removed plexiglass in the door. The sight of looking down a barrel with a finger on the trigger sent that guy packing and falling down some stairs in getting away.
A high-school classmate without a gun was murdered in a home invasion.
I could live happily with a 10-round regulation as I only really need one or two shots. Some folks feel they need 30 shots but I suspect that is more a want.
Philip L M Vaughan
Lake Edward Township
The Trust Project
