Dear friend,
In the state of Virginia gun laws permit anyone over the age of 18 to buy assault weapons. This is true in most states. Is this really what the framers of the Constitution had in mind? If so, perhaps it is time for us simply to say that they were wrong … or maybe that the world has changed so much since they crafted this portion of our governing document that it is now time to change the Constitution. Most other civilized nations seem to manage quite well without a heavily-armed citizenry, with violent crime rates a fraction of ours. In other words, far from making us safer, our gun laws endanger our lives. This isn’t about hunters or self-defense; it is about selling weapons that no one outside the military or law enforcement really need. After this week’s shootings, the “Times of London” ran an editorial delving into the American psyche and the weak gun laws across the country. “Why, we ask, do Americans continue to tolerate gun laws and a culture that seems to condemn thousands of innocents to death every year, when presumably, tougher restrictions, such as those in force in European countries, could at least reduce the number?” Gun crime is extremely rare in Britain, and handguns are completely illegal. The ban is so strictly enforced that Britain’s Olympic pistol shooting team is barred from practicing in its own country. According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, the United States has a firearm homicide rate of 3.12 per 100,000 people, while the rate in England and Wales is .16 per 100,000. (www.unodc.org/pdf/crime/eighthsurvey/8sv.pdf) “What exactly triggered the massacre in Virginia is unclear, but the fundamental reason is often the perpetrator's psychological problems in combination with easy access to weapons,” Swedish daily “Goteborgs-Posten” commented. As Christians, we are disciples of one who tried to teach us the way of peace and reconciliation. In the shadow of Easter, our faith should resurrect us from our fear of death, which keeps us addicted to the illusion of security. No matter how many guns you own, you are still going to die. Our obsession with guns is connected to the American illusion that we somehow can find a loophole in this reality. You can be sure that the NRA will not be airing commercials defending the Second Amendment, which simply says:
What they will be doing is lobbying lawmakers and raising more money to line the pockets of our political leaders. It is time we said “No” to having the best government money can buy. It is time we became advocates for a true “culture of life” that cares about innocent college students at least as much as we care about unborn fetuses. Pray for the families and friends of the victims of this week’s shootings. Pray for the survivors in their shock and grief. Don’t just pray, though, because, unless we make some changes, it will only be a matter of time before it happens again. Email your senators and representative and remind them that they are accountable to you—NOT the NRA and the gun lobby—and you want stronger gun laws. Sincerely,
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The tragic events at Virginia Tech on Monday ought to call our nation to consider the value of having a government that has become a wholly-owned subsidiary of the National Rifle Association. The millions of dollars they give to politicians always have guaranteed that no significant debate about the need for gun control will take place. The media will raise the issue, a few liberal politicians like Senator Ted Kennedy who had two brothers assassinated will call for new legislation, and, once more, the issue will be buried before the victims are lowered into the ground.
