Gun Violence In America

There was more gun violence today in America, this time at a high school in Oregon.  Our schools, a place for learning has become a battleground that was once a safe place where a parent felt safe and confident their child could obtain a good education and learn how to interact with their peers.

The United States has failed to address the gun violence problem because it is treated as a divisive issue.  No problem can be addressed adequately if it is treated as such.  Abortion, Religion, Sex Orientation and Immigration are good examples.  Special interest groups and many elected officials take delight in promoting divisive issues to paralize the process.  Gun control debates take on a "me against them" attitude and nothing gets done.

Our country and its people experienced much less gun violence before the NRA came into being and much more gun violence since the NRA has become more political with their campaign contributions and the willingness of elected officials to allow them to write gun legislation.  So the NRA and the second ammendent has no record of reducing gun violence.

When divisiveness gives way to common sense debate on this scourge on America, solutions will be found to make America safe again.  There was no common sense debate when the George W. Bush administration allowed the assault weapons ban expire.  It was a common sense ban that worked.  And since it expired states have rushed to pass gun laws that allow people to carry concealed weapons into stores, churches and other places of gathering.  That also has proven to be no answer to gun violence.
It should be noted that police chiefs across the United States supported the assault weapons ban.

One of the latest statement from the NRA that the answer to gun violence is "a good guy with a gun" has not worked either.  It sounds macho, but the killings goes on.  President Clinton put 100,000 extra police officers on the streets in our states and paid for it with federal funds.  It worked and helped to reduce crime and gun violence.  Law enforcement across the country lauded the President for his actions because it worked and they needed the help since their own cities and states could not afford to increase their police forces.  The Bush administration ended the practice.

Makes no difference what problem or issue we face, the key to a better future is understanding the past.  The greatest generation was not divided, they were united.  It was a common sense time of being an American and what America stood for.  We are a divided nation now controlled by special interest money and a news media that does not respect our democratic elections any more and who try to undermine the process with divisive issues and false scandals.

Yes, gun violence in America can be brought under control.  There is a road map how to do so that is still alive in our past.  Thinking man has to emerge once again and shut the door on those who promote the status quo of division and instead promote those common sense ideals that has made America great. 


This commentary written by John Lucia