[Vision2020] Isn't it about time . . .

Mon Dec 17 16:39:15 PST 2012

A few days after the accident when they are discussing the funerals on TV of the kids and are interviewing bereaved parents and getting the "man on the street's" view of things is a horrible time to try to sit down and have a rational conversation about what we can and cannot do to help strengthen our gun laws or figure out a better way to deal with mental health problems.  It's a great time to act if you are a group that has a preset agenda and just happens to have a bill all written up that you have been dying to pass, but that won't help anyone but the people with the agendas.  See our reaction as a country to 9/11 as a good lesson on this topic.

I'm hoping lawmakers will wait until the passion of the moment has died down and we have some distance before we try to rework the gun laws.  Fat chance, I know.

For instance, if I said "the second amendment is about more than protecting kindergartners from being shot", I would currently be lambasted as an uncaring person who is dancing on the graves of 6 year-olds or something.  *Maybe* in a few weeks we'll be able to really discuss it.  Anything we try to do in the meantime will almost certainly be an overreaction.

Paul

________________________________
 From: Sue Hovey <suehovey at moscow.com>
To: Sunil Ramalingam <sunilramalingam at hotmail.com>; vision 2020 <vision2020 at moscow.com> 
Cc: Paul Rumelhart <godshatter at yahoo.com> 
Sent: Monday, December 17, 2012 3:07 PM
Subject: Re: [Vision2020] Isn't it about time . . .

“Knee-jerk reaction or fear-driven acts.”  Those are interesting but 
patronizing ways to characterize the responses to these killings, and of the 
same mindset, I think, as “guns don’t kill people.”   We need to be 
considering all our options and we should have been doing that for a very long 
time.   Those of us who live here, own guns, and use them for hunting 
and self-protection need to be willing to look at the cultural issues that are 
bigger than our own mindsets.  Might it not be that we need to consider 
restating the Second Amendment in such a way as to prohibit private ownership of 
certain types of armament?  We already do some of that within the scope of 
the amendment; why not look further?  Why not consider the way we publicize 
the events...the murderer, who may have never had much in the way of self 
gratification, can be sure if his, yes his, crime is of a certain magnitude, he 
will be remembered for the way it was publicized with his face on every newscast 
and every front page? A First Amendment question....dare we consider 
it?    There are a lot of issues here, none of them 
trivial.  

Sue H. 
From: Sunil Ramalingam 
Sent: Monday, December 17, 2012 2:06 PM
To: vision 2020 
Subject: Re: [Vision2020] Isn't it about time . . 
.
  But the cartoon doesn't advocate banning all guns. It shows someone 
leaving the NRA, which opposes the regulation you find reasonable.

The 
NRA's response to regulation is fear-driven. It's one of their marketing 
techniques, or to use another of your terms below, a knee-jerk 
reaction.

Sunil

________________________________
 Date: Mon, 17 Dec 2012 14:01:04 -0800
From: godshatter at yahoo.com
Subject: 
Re: [Vision2020] Isn't it about time . . .
To: sunilramalingam at hotmail.com; 
vision2020 at moscow.com

There's 
a difference between being prepared and simply reacting to something.  I 
take a blanket and a flashlight with me on winter trips in the car, I carry 
jumper cables in the trunk, I have smoke alarms and a fire extinguisher in my 
house, I bring a space blanket, some matches, and a folding knife with me when I 
go hiking, and I keep a gun at home in case I need to protect 
myself.

Banning all guns because someone used one in a horrifying way 
appears to me to be more of a fear-driven act.  There is definitely room 
for improvement in who we sell guns to and how well we learn how to use them but 
that's a discussion that should happen after the knee-jerk reactions have 
passed.

Paul

________________________________
 From: Sunil Ramalingam 
<sunilramalingam at hotmail.com>
To: vision 2020 
<vision2020 at moscow.com> 
Sent: Monday, December 17, 2012 1:33 
PM
Subject: Re: [Vision2020] 
Isn't it about time . . .

Paul,

Doesn't that apply to both sides of the 
argument?

Sunil

________________________________
 Date: Mon, 17 Dec 2012 13:27:10 -0800
From: godshatter at yahoo.com
To: 
thansen at moscow.com; vision2020 at moscow.com
Subject: Re: [Vision2020] Isn't it 
about time . . .

If 
you want your life to be ruled by fear-driven reflex, sure.

Paul

________________________________
 From: Tom Hansen 
<thansen at moscow.com>
To: Moscow Vision 2020 <vision2020 at moscow.com> 
Sent: Monday, December 17, 2012 12:44 
PM
Subject: [Vision2020] Isn't 
it about time . . .

Seeya round town, 
Moscow, because . . .

"Moscow 
Cares"
http://www.MoscowCares.com

Tom Hansen
Moscow, 
Idaho

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