In the recent aftermath of Oregon’s Umpqua Community College, President Obama made his 15th address of mass shootings in America during his administration.
Fifteenth.
And that’s mass casualties.
I hope everyone can agree that the shooting in Oregon today was a horrible tragedy. Young people learning and a 20-year-old who violently took their lives. Yet, there will continue to be people on both sides of the gun control debate. Some will defend gun rights, some will advocate for gun prevention.
In the last few months, particularly with the 2016 presidential campaign firing up, Planned Parenthood has been under fire for released videos of the selling of fetal tissue from abortions. This has initiated the government to investigate Planned Parenthood and draft legislation to defund the clinics.
In both cases, we have a life and death situation. The issue is the contradictions.
Many conservatives will argue pro-life and pro-guns. But how? How can a fetus be defended more than the lives of nearly a dozen college students in Oregon, the 26 children and teachers at Sandy Hook Elementary School, and 12 students at Columbine High School. Not to mention the many other mass school/theatre/restaurant shootings and other mindless, random kills in the last few decades of American history.
I am not arguing anyone’s personal beliefs, but I’m fascinated by how they contradict one another. It makes no sense to logically argue the value of life in one situation, and advocate for more murderous weapons in another.
Bearing arms in a constitutional right in this country. What is failed to be brought up in every pro-gun argument, however, is its birth date.
1791.
In 1791, security systems were not invented, policemen did not have the technology they have now, and mental health was not nearly as treatable or even recognized as it is today. Nearly once a month, schools have fire drills or tornado drills. Based on the recent gun violence in this country, when are schools going to start having mandatory lock-down drills? The fact that I’m even suggesting that makes me disgusted.
What the pro-gun community should recognize, if it’s not the gun control issue, is at least mental health. If you want to advocate for the right to bear arms, then advocate for more access to mental health insurance and facilities.
If this horrific incident does anything today, it should conjure up one hell of a debate about how we distribute guns and handle mental health in this nation. This should infuriate people, and all people, regardless of your beliefs. If you believe in protecting one form of life, protect ALL forms of life.