Life is fragile, and it’s all that we have. More guns equals more gun deaths.
No other country has anywhere near as many gun deaths as we do here in the U.S. The Second Amendment talks about “a well-regulated militia.” It was written in 1791, when arms were far less deadly than they are today. There is no right to own a bazooka, a sidewinder missile or an AR-15. Let’s get real.
Every classroom in America has lockdown instructions — is this right for our children? Do we care about our children?
This can change.
Four decades ago, you’d hear at the end of a party “Here, have one for the road!” as the host offered you another drink. The next day you’d brag “You should have seen me last night; I was all over the road!” MADD, Mothers Against Drunk Driving changed that. They did it by going from state to state, by changing laws and changing the culture. Now we don’t drink and drive — bartenders stop serving, a designated driver volunteers, friends offer rides, and we have far fewer drunk driving accidents. Our culture has changed.
We can change laws and change our culture and reduce gun killings of our children and ourselves. They’re unnecessary. They’re wrong. Each of us needs to speak up. To stand by without speaking is to accept the killing. Tell your family, your friends and your newspaper that you want change, that you care about our children and about us. Do it please, for us, for our children, and for yourself.
Peter Hanson lives in New Canaan.