I never debate people about Gun Control. I mean, I suppose I would if there was any evidence that anyone's mind was ever changed by discussion but there isn't. People getting killed doesn't seem to change many minds either.
My friend Roger tried to engage me on the topic the other night to no avail. I don't think I understand his view on the issue and I know he doesn't understand mine. His sounded like he thinks that the First Amendment does not give you the right to yell "Fire" in a crowded theater but the Second Amendment does gives you the right to fire an AK-47 in one.
That can't be what he thinks. I must not have understood him.
He thinks mine is that all firearms should be banned. That's not my view at all. I mean, even if it were possible, which it's not, that's not the ideal situation. There is a place for private gun ownership and even use. Roger is making the mistake which too many firearms owners make, which is to assume "Gun Control" means "Gun Confiscation." It doesn't, any more than licensing cars has led to banning cars. As long as a lot of folks think those are the same thing, nothing will change. Which is why nothing will change.
I believe there are a lot of responsible gun owners out there. They are sane and they know how to store their guns safely and fire them safely. They have no fear of gun registration or of law enforcement efforts to make guns more traceable and responsible with things like background checks and waiting periods. They also have no desire to own automatic weapons or ammo clips that let you kill more than five people before you have to stop and reload, and might feel safer in a nation where those things were a little harder to obtain.
I'm sure there are such people and I even believe that they're a solid majority of gun owners in the country today. I just think it'll take more than one or ten or a hundred Aurora-like massacres before those folks have any meaningful say in how our gun laws are written and enforced. Saner gun laws will not be instituted by the kind of person who'd never have one in the house. They'll be passed by responsible gun owners who decide that their interests are not being served by the N.R.A. and similar organizations these days. And who are sick of being viewed as part of the same group as that asshole in Colorado we're all hearing way too much about.