The latest school shooting has just occurred in Umpqua, Oregon. The latest group of parents are experiencing what no parent should: the death of a child. The President has made his statement. The news media has covered the event. Those on both sides of the issue have spoken their predictable words. To those who represent the status quo of gun ownership,
You will say that the Constitution allows you to bear arms. This is debatable. But let’s say it’s technically true. And more children will die.
You will say that mental illness is the cause of these shootings, not guns. This is technically true. And more children will die.
You will say that the answer is more guns, not less. For you, there will never be enough guns. And more children will die.
You will ignore the majority of responsible gun owners in this country who now feel that something must be done. And more children will die.
These children die, not because of constitutional right or personal freedom. They die because the firearms industry is simply too lucrative to rein in. The economic impact the firearms industry has had on the United States has more than doubled since 2008.
The Firearms and Ammunition Industry Economic Impact Report, compiled by the National Shooting Sports Foundation, shows the industry has grown from $19.1 billion in 2008 to more than $42.9 billion last year.
Life in the Boomer Lane 
Deborah the Closet Monster
October 2, 2015
I saw someone call Sandy Hook the beginning of the end of the debate. If gun ownership is more precious than even a classroom full of the youngest schoolchildren, what else could possibly sway people?
Life in the Boomer Lane
October 3, 2015
Nothing. Those who profit will continue to convince those who make the profit possible that under-legislated gun ownership is a fundamental human right and has nothing to do with the consequences of such ownership.
roughwighting
October 2, 2015
Agreed. It’s a sad world, where guns are chosen over the lives of our future – our children.
Life in the Boomer Lane
October 3, 2015
And, that we continue to make that choice, in spite of evidence all over the planet that it doesn’t have to be that way.
roughwighting
October 3, 2015
Makes no sense. 😦 But we need to keep trying to make the change!!!
Elyse
October 2, 2015
Exactly. Well said. Because, after all, nobody likes kids. Noisy, dirty little things.
We are a bizarre society.
Life in the Boomer Lane
October 3, 2015
Thanks, Elyse. We are a bizarre society, especially when our children are concerned. We smother them with protections, all the while we allow them to live their lives at risk, a risk that can be resolved.
SimpleLivingOver50
October 2, 2015
I own one handgun that I use both on duty and off. I am trained to use it only for the purpose to prevent my own death or the death of another. There are many who should never get access to a gun and I agree that laws need to be changed to protect the innocent from both evil and mental illness. On the other hand I have encountered too many people suffering from serious mental health conditions living on the streets of our Great State of Oregon who are left to their own demise because we have laws that protect their freedom to live this way. As a State and even as a Nation we have to start looking at our own laws and find a solution for helping those who suffer with mental illness. We have advanced so far in the field of pharmaceuticals and have solved the problems with so much illness, but If we don’t find a solution to overseeing the weak in our society they will continue to walk around lost in the wilderness. As for guns we have the technology to insure that one’s gun can only be fired by the one who owns the weapon with a fingerprint. We can fingerprint our cellphones and it is also possible to fingerprint our weapons. As ISIS is growing out of control we see a constant threat across the globe and many say that it will never happen here in America, but we said the same thing before 911. We are Constitutionally protected to have the tools necessary to protect our communities, towns, cities and States from any type of foreign invasion and must retain those rights to do so, but allowing access to these same weapons to those who mean harm to others amongst our our communities has to stop.
Life in the Boomer Lane
October 3, 2015
Thanks for your comments. There are few who would argue that a society needs protection. There are few who would argue that mental illness is a huge factor in gun violence. But this isn’t about either. This is about a willingness to accept that we have guns, and we have mental illness. Those are givens. That said, what can we do to lessen the negative impact on our children? We spend enormous amounts of time and money to protect our finances. The lives of children should be of no less value.
SimpleLivingOver50
October 3, 2015
I agree with you 100% and would die if anything ever happened to my grandchildren. Societies throughout history have always suffered the actions of sick minds and it hasn’t changed much. It is sad, but even if we confiscated every gun in America it still would not solve the problem as a criminal mind will always find a way to commit an act of atrocity. It is the moral fiber of this country that has to change. Every child has to know that their is hope in his or her future. We praise the almighty dollar rather than goodness of the freedom of living in a free society. I don’t know how to change this, but I think that the Pope’s visit to America last week opened many eyes to the problems we face.
Keith
October 2, 2015
Renee, this is excellent about an unfortunate, but no longer surprising, topic. Americans have responded to several surveys and favor extended background checks and elongated waiting periods. These surveys include Republican voters and responsible gun owners, who also favor these things in the majority. Yet, we fail to act. Of course, there are more reasons to be dealt with, but access to guns is definitely part of the equation.
Yet, our politicians do not care that much about what people think. They care more about their funders and the NRA will make them wet their pants. Our current Congress went so far, this year, to say we should not collect data on gun deaths as part of a review of health issues, as it is not part of health. This is from the retiring Speaker of the House. That is poor stewardship in my mind. And, it is more than mass shootings. It is what happens everyday – pick up any paper, any day and count the number of gun deaths stories.
This is not a one party problem, as there are Democrats too scared to take on the NRA as they can get fervent gun rights owners to polls in primaries. But, advancing gun rights is clearly in the platform of the GOP and they should no longer tout they are a pro-life party. You cannot advocate the freer access to guns and say you are pro-life. We must have better governance of guns as to do otherwise is criminal in my view.
Here is a quick math exercise. Take the 23 wealthiest countries in the world. If you add up all their gun deaths, the US has 80% of them. If you add up teen and children gun deaths for these 23 countries, the US has 87% of them. Canada likes it guns, but we have three times the rate of gun deaths per 1,000 than they do.
We have a problem in the US and our politicians do not have the stomach to address it and some actually add gasoline to the fire. This is from an Independent voter, former Republican and Democrat who is long since tired of the BS. Keith
Life in the Boomer Lane
October 3, 2015
Thanks for these comments, Keith. Yes, we have all the facts and figures. And we go round and round, with no conclusion. The gun industry continues to reap ever-increasing profits, because they have elevated gun ownership to religious status. Our legislators are beholden to that industry, because it supports them financially. And so children will continue to die.
Keith
October 4, 2015
Agreed. Most of our problems in the world relate to money, those who want to keep it and those who don’t have it and need it to live. The NRA is all about promoting gun sales, but also ammunition sales, which is 1/3 of the industry’s revenue. You buy a gun and you want to practice with it and have a supply of ammo.
Keith
October 5, 2015
Renee, I would love your thoughts on the post I wrote this morning on the mental health aspects of this. Thanks, Keith
BABYBOOMER johanna van zanten
October 2, 2015
Point made, excellently too,I concur. Keep up the good work!
Life in the Boomer Lane
October 3, 2015
Thanks, Johanna. I’d much prefer to write humor, but the planet refuses to allow me to do so, sometimes.
Richard E. Berg
October 2, 2015
Well said. How can the firearms industry and the NRA sleep at night with all the ghosts of the children their weapons have killed?
Gun control legislation, in a society unlikely to ever ban guns, should hold gun owners absolutely responsible for any act committed by anyone with their guns — as if they had performed the act themselves. Irresponsible gun ownership is what places guns in the hands of criminals and the mentally ill.
Along with mandatory criminal background checks, mandatory psychological evaluations should be performed before anyone is allowed to become a gun owner. They should also be required to undergo professional training to learn how and when to use their guns.
Life in the Boomer Lane
October 3, 2015
Thanks for your comments, Richard. If the rational controls that you speak of were to be put into place, profits from the firearms industry would go down. It’s similar to the developing countries who make our clothing. We can’t purchase cheap clothes here unless those workers work under horrific, unsafe conditions. Safety doesn’t count when profits are the only goal.The gun industry makes the profit it does because of the same mentality.
Richard E. Berg
October 3, 2015
Sad but true. Short-term profits always trump long-term survival in our money-obsessed society, whether it’s guns or the planet itself. I truly fear for future generations. Their world will not be the world we knew.
Rebecca Latson Photography
October 2, 2015
The only way anything will ever change is if a gun lobbyist or a high-ranking member of the NRA or a member of congress has a loved-one killed by a gun. Then, and only then, will *maybe* something get done. I’ve seen it happen over such mundane things as potholes in the streets – the city does nothing until an elite member of the city council or some other bigwig sustains some sort of car damage because of that pothole.
Life in the Boomer Lane
October 3, 2015
Rebecca, I’d love to believe you are correct. But I suspect that the response would be the same tired, “If we had MORE guns, this wouldn’t have happened!”
Betty Londergan
October 2, 2015
Renee — what a great piece of writing. And so sad that you had to write it at all. When 98% of this country agrees that we need more effective gun safety laws and yet no legislation can get passed, it’s a tragic tribute to the power of the gun industry. Which, as you so accurately observed, has everything to gain by firing up the paranoid passions of people who fear the federal government… or any authority whatsoever. $42.9 billion is a lot of money to fund the NRA and its transparent agenda to fight any and all legislation governing the sale of guns….
and our legislators need to get a spine and do the right thing. If more guns were the answer, there would be no problem — but we have a HUGE heartbreaking problem, and we need to all get active and demand a change. Thanks for writing!
Life in the Boomer Lane
October 3, 2015
Thanks, Betty. I sincerely wish I didn’t have to write about this at all. Yes, the problem is huge and it is heartbreaking. I read somewhere that when the NRA started, its membership was represented almost entirely by gun owners. Now, it is represented largely by the firearms industry. That pretty much sums up why nothing changes.
Shelley
October 2, 2015
We tuned in to CNN from Italy and were horrified and saddened by this news. We are so afraid of terrorism, but are blind to the dangers that are the result of our gun loving culture. We visited an Italian elementary school where the children sand their national anthem and asked us to sing ours. Land of the brave and home of the free? Are we really. Rave if we need to own assault weapons? Are we free?
Life in the Boomer Lane
October 3, 2015
I always hesitate to write about terrorism, because so many people live their lives in fear of it, and I don’t want to be accused of minimizing what is a clear and present danger in many parts of the world. But I keep imagining a scenario in which ISIS arrives here and all of the millions of gun owners stand tall and point their guns, in order to save the day. It’s the stuff of Saturday Night Live.
lindasblogs
October 2, 2015
So heartbreaking that the NRA and its adherents determine our safety as a society. What’s the problem with psychological and background checks before granting the right to own a firearm? Thank you for a beautiful post on a sadly ugly situation.
Life in the Boomer Lane
October 3, 2015
And thanks for commenting, Linda. There is only one thing wrong with background checks. There is only one thing wrong with any protections that have been suggested. They erode the profits of the firearms industry. Period.
seweverythingblog
October 2, 2015
Thank you for putting the issue into such concise words. I shudder to think that the feeling of dread among parents is becoming a new normal. That must not happen.
Life in the Boomer Lane
October 3, 2015
Unfortunately, I agree with you. The places in which we never had to worry about the safety of our children are now disappearing. My heart breaks for my grandchildren and for the children and grandchildren of others.
Betty Londergan
October 3, 2015
If more guns were the answer, we would be the safest country on earth. And that’s not even close to the truth. With 300 million guns here in America, you are hugely more likely to be a victim of gun violence…. 87% of all people killed by guns are killed right here in America — not in any other developed country. Sean, YOU are the person doing the lying — as a proxy for the 42 BILLION dollar gun industry. STOP the madness and demand a plan for increased gun safety regulations NOW.
Betty Londergan
October 3, 2015
Renee — obviously, this comment was not meant for you but for a link on your site to Sean, a gun “enthusiast.”
Life in the Boomer Lane
October 4, 2015
Why am I not seeing Sean’s comments? Maybe I’m happy not to. I’ve seen them all before. Thanks for taking him on, Betty.
Richard E. Berg
October 3, 2015
Reblogged this on A Berg's Eye View.
Life in the Boomer Lane
October 3, 2015
Thanks for the reblog!
Richard E. Berg
October 3, 2015
You are very welcome. It is impossible for too many people to read this.
Harlon
October 3, 2015
Great post, provocative and informed. As a Canadian, I don’t get the right to bear arms thing….and what concerns me is that guns are making their appearance in Canada with the same consequence…innocent victims. I think there is an issue underneath this all of misdiagnosed mental illness and when you combine that with a gun, well, that ain’t good.
Will this ever change? Or is this the new normal? Peace Harlon
Life in the Boomer Lane
October 4, 2015
Our concept of “normal” has been a moving target (no pun intended) for decades. The right to bear arms has morphed from a valid need/desire to protect oneself into one that feeds a multi-billion dollar industry that holds power over our legislators and puts children’s lives at risk. Mental illness is one of the most telling characteristics of our flawed society. It’s a given, and it’s growing. The gun lobby has been successful in deflecting the attention away from it’s own unwillingness to strengthen safety standards (and enforce them) and focus, instead, on those who become their own victims of easy access to guns. To bring it down to another level, if I have a toddler who keeps crawling to the top of the stairs, I will, of course, teach that child to negotiate the stairs in a safe way. But you’d better believe that, in the meantime, I will put a gate at the stairs to prevent a disaster.
Life in the Boomer Lane
October 4, 2015
I urge everyone to read Nicholas Kristof’s compelling gun commentary in the 10/3 online issue of the New York Times:
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/04/opinion/sunday/nicholas-kristof-a-new-way-to-tackle-gun-deaths.html?action=click&contentCollection=undefined®ion=Footer&module=WhatsNext&version=WhatsNext&contentID=WhatsNext&moduleDetail=most-emailed-2&pgtype=undefined
Little Voice
October 4, 2015
Reblogged this on that little voice and commented:
We must quit arguing about causes and work together to find solutions.
Life in the Boomer Lane
October 5, 2015
Thanks for the reblog!
realestatehomepro
October 5, 2015
I think we have to stop saying “it’s heartbreaking”, “it’s wrong”, “I feel for the next generation” and start acting. Until our legislators fear us and lack of re-election more then they fear losing the gun lobby money or the votes of that small and noisy minority of gun rights folks nothing will change. Our legislators (for the most part) have no backbone and money and votes talk. Call yours today and let them know how you feel. I have done that and will continue to do so. I will not die saying I wish I had done more to prevent leaving a legacy of being the only western country with regular mass shootings. Shame on all of us for letting this go on.
VE
October 13, 2015
Very true and saddening facts..children will die cause of gun violence…No matter what it has to be stopped.. else children will die….
ggPuppetLady
October 21, 2015
My favorite post of yours, albeit a terrible subject. So eloquently written. And great to simply understand the industry behind the laws, from an Australian who hates guns! I read it out loud to my 15 year old son, & he wants to share it on his social media- is that ok? Keep writing the Truth, love & peace, gabrielle