Fred Destin

 America considers it the right of its citizens to bear firearms.  So be it.  If you don’t like it, you don’t have to live here.  

America has however been lobbied for a long time by a powerful and well funded organization called the National Rifle Association.  This remarkably determined group, considered to be the most influential in Washington, has achieved an incredibly loose set of regulations and legislation which essentially allows unfettered access to powerful self-loading, semi-automatic and occasionally assault rifles.

And it’s getting worse. The new so-called “guns at work” laws may soon ensure that when you’ve got a score to settle with that guy who got promoted instead of you, you can put a bullett in his leg instead of giving him a knuckle sandwich. Sweet.

Now we all agree that for someone to get shot it takes a shooter.  We all agree that no amount of regulation can ensure safety.  We all understand that Americans will probably forever resist full gun registration.  We can all have endless debates on the definition of an assault weapon and what to do about mental illness.

Here is a simple reality : Americans live in fear, more than any other democractic nation I have ever visited (98% of Canadians polled agree).  Fear of their neighbour.  By arming ourselves to the teeth, we are achieving what the terrorists could not.  We create Fear.    

I don’t want to live in fear.  

The most immediately impactful thing we can do is to move towards sensible guncontrol, period.  The only way to achieve meaningful progress fast is to get organized and funded.

So here is what you need to do : go support the bi-partisan Brady Center.  I don’t know if they are perfect, but they are endorsed by people I trust and web research unearths nothing bad.

I donated $250 and am signing up as a regular donor.  You should to.  

Do something.

It’s too easy to restrict the debate to whether the Assault Weapon should be renewed.  But I thought I should post this picture anyway.  This “thing” is not subject to any Federal restriction in the US and the one in the middle would pass the 1994 Assault Weapons ban.  Seriously.