The latest mass shooting in Midland and Odessa, Texas pulls the fresh scab off of the issue of guns and what needs to be done to stop such insanity. There are many sure-fie solutions (intended pun) that are proposed: complete background checks, limiting ammunition clips, banning “assault” rifles, restricting violent computer games, “red flag” laws, social media screenings, more “open carry” laws, compulsory gun buybacks, even repealing the Second Amendment ...some of these suggestions having already been tried and failed ... or been politically unpalatable. Most every politician has a “simple solution.”
But there is only one possible simple solution to this social scourge — and that is there is no simple solution. Unfortunately, like many manias of past times, this one will likely only go away with time. At some point ... possibly years hence ... we will look back and realize that these mass shootings have gone away. Why this has happened we will only learn by understanding how our society had evolved in the interim. I will not suggest what this will be ... because I do not know what it will be ... nor do you.
My only hope is that this solution is a change in our society and not an infringement of our freedoms.
You said "like many manias of past times, this one will likely only go away with time. " For example... what? The Spanish Inquisition? Or more mundane such as corduroy suits and bell-bottom pants? Maybe when incels get robotic women that really satisfy them.
ReplyDeleteSpanish Inquisition is a good on (cost them world trade dominance). Or the Tulip Bulb mania. Probably the CO2 mass-phobia. How about the Wild West?
ReplyDeleteThe Wild West is considered by many non-Americans as the essence of the American obsession with guns and gun violence. Other countries have frontiers and cattle towns but without gunfire. Here, it is not a quaint memory. And it won’t just fade away. You can bet on it.
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