Since
the points listed seem to be from the standard G.O.D. (Gun Obsessive
Disorder) dogma seen and heard from all those afflicted with this
dementia-related condition, I’ll address my response to All Those
Afflicted, or ATA.
ATA does have a point; it is
difficult to find a well-defined standard to apply to the term “mentally
unstable.” How do we limit this restriction of access to weapons from
abusive/selective overuse and application? Who makes the call as to
whether someone is a danger to themselves and/ or others? Psychiatrists?
Psychologists? Doctors? It is a mystery.
This last
point is where ATA picks itself up and — to protect itself from the
tyranny of the government — starts babbling about the voices in its head
and the hallucinations it sees. Visions of Hitler always seem to
accompany this stage.
Hello? You’ve dropped off the
edge of reason here. Are there government troops blocking churches and
gun stores in your neighborhood? Are government agents disappearing your
fellow survivalist club members? There is no conspiracy to take all of
the guns or any of the guns you already have.
You know,
people who were aware of what Hitler was doing got out of Germany while
the getting was good. I invite all ATA to emigrate to South Africa.
(No. That country has gun restrictions.) Or how about Australia? (Nope.
That has even better gun restrictions.)
Liberty and
freedom are anchored and made possible by the wise and unrestricted
application of common sense. It is common sense that brings reality to
dogma, restraint to extremism and reason to solutions for arguments. For
our nation to evolve as a 21st-century, civilized society, good common
sense must be the governing standard of our current “gun debate.”
—Howard Koerth, Oklahoma City
