The most recent mass shootings in
Santa Barbara, California gives me great pause. I cannot help but wonder where
the outrage is from responsible gun owners and from the gun manufacturers.
I should think that those who
support gun rights would be appalled by the use of guns in violent shooting
sprees that have countlessly resulted the in loss of innocent lives, especially
young lives – lives of children. The opposite reaction seems to be the result,
however. After these incidents, the response from many gun owners is redoubling
of gun rights protections. When will the supposedly responsible gun owners
and gun rights advocates denounce the violent gun culture in our country?
As the father of one of the victims
of the Santa Barbara shootings stated, “You think it won't happen to you. How
many more people will have to experience gun violence before attitudes shift?”
Second Amendment rights come with
responsibilities. Responsible gun owners and manufacturers need to lead the
charge on responsible gun rights and laws. But where are they?
A large part of the blame for our country’s
history of mass killings with firearms can be placed on the senseless lobbying
efforts of the National Rifle Association and the tragically lax U.S. gun laws.
Senator
Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut said on Sunday that he wanted to bring back
gun-control legislation that was proposed after Sandy Hook but which fell in
the Senate.
It is time for a change. To quote,
Richard Martinez, the father of one of the Isla Vista mass shooting victims,
Christopher Michaels Martinez, “Not one more!” Please take a stand in the fight against gun
violence and the struggle for more stringent gun control legislation by signing the postcard sending the message, “Not
one more!” to your elected officials.
Picture credit: Christopher Bruno
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