Shoot

By Kristi Paxton

What was the personal weapon of fashion when the second amendment was adopted in December of 1791?

Musket? Bow and arrow?  Blunderbuss muzzle loader? Slingshot?

Part of me thinks we need to look at history to determine the intent of the second amendment. Leave history out of it, and I am free to bear my weapon of choice: an assault rifle, a semi-automatic handgun, or a hand grenade. How about a pipe bomb? Arms is arms, right?

I need to look no further than biology to fight against my own argument. For if we are animals, and we are, we must have a way to control our population. Survival of the fittest. Survival of the fittest with the most powerful weapon? Perhaps the assault rifle or the handgun is the answer. Issue one to each citizen, no background checks, no problem. Zero population growth.

Or look at historic intention of the second amendment, and issue each newborn a musket.

The NRA has some possible solutions for both sides of the argument. NRA says only good guys with guns can combat bad guys with guns. They suggest the USA install an armed security guard in every public school. The price tag is merely $80,000 per school per year, or so I’m told. Let’s see, $80,000 times 99,000 public schools equals $7,920,000,000.

If that sounds like too much, consider how many individuals we currently arm in Afghanistan. We have already spent national security money, and “good guys” already have guns. How about we bring the troops back from Afghanistan to combat the school shooters at home?  Would our militia be happy to guard school entries? If so, what do we tell the kids, some who have been expelled for bringing squirt guns into the classroom? There at the front door stands a military hero with an assault rifle, teaching young people how to solve any conflict that may arise.

On a positive note, there also stands our military recruitment program, a respected, gun-wielding military person, up front and personal, in the school from kindergarten on.  Little eyes look up in admiration. Erase that pentagon budget item for recruitment costs.

I’m stymied. Why is an American 20 times more likely to be killed by a gun than someone from any other “developed” country? (According to United Nations data) Why is gun ownership in USA the highest number per 100 people in the world? (88 guns per 100 people) The closest second is Yemen at 54.8 per 100. Why is USA often compared with Honduras, El Salvador and Jamaica, first second and third for worst firearm murder rates? (US is way down the list at 28^th) USA gun death trends resemble those in Mexico and Colombia.*

Yes, we have a problem. Just what is the problem?

*Data is all over the place and subject to interpretation. Will someone please shoot us some credible scientific research?