What's The Answer?

The news of the school shooting today became more horrific as the day went on.  I'm not going to rehash it here.  I cannot imagine what the parents of the victims are experiencing, but I hope that they grieve and heal the best that they can.

What happened in Connecticut was nothing short of evil, it was planned out and executed with chilling efficiency.  After every one of these maddening and senseless acts, perpetrated by cowards that usually kill themselves rather than face the consequences of their actions, a raging debate about gun control ensues...and both sides of that argument need to take a step back and ask themselves some questions that I doubt they have answers to.

For those of you that advocate for the right of private citizens to own firearms, where do you draw the line?  Does the Constitution guarantee the right for citizens to own fully automatic or semi-automatic weapons?  Should we arm every teacher in America or post armed guards within every school?  Is an armed society truly a 'polite' society?  Give me one good reason as to why purchasing a handgun is easier than say, buying a leather couch from a big box furniture store...and by that I mean I've had to wait up to 8 weeks in the past to receive a couch I've purchased, but I can go to Walmart or Big 5 right now and walk out with a shotgun or wait a few days for my background check to clear before receiving a pistol.  Does the Constitution grant me the right to own a bazooka, or RPGs?  Do you honestly believe that if more citizens were packing a Glock or six-shooter that mass murders like the one that took place today would be less common?   

For those of you that would like to see firearms removed from the hands of private citizens...how do you propose we do that?  Should the government go door to door and search every home in America and remove these guns?  All can agree that the mentally ill or unstable should not have access to firearms, how do you propose we keep this from happening?  Should the mentally ill be required to register once diagnosed, and does that not open another can of worms?  How difficult should it be to purchase a firearm, impossible?  Should there be a 30 day wait from moment of purchase to ownership...45 days...?  Do you also wish to outlaw hunters from owning rifles, and if so, how do we manage the population of wild game?  What, in your mind, constitutes an 'assault rifle'?  If I strike you with a shoe horn, is that now an assault shoe horn?  Connecticut has some of the toughest gun laws in the United States and politically leans left, but today's shooter walked right through those laws and into a gun-free zoned school...what could the local and state government done differently?  Should schools be on lock down mode at all times now?   

Full-disclosure:  I'm an NRA member as The Better Half's father purchased me a lifetime membership a few years back.  With that said, I never would have purchased myself a membership as I find NRA leadership and some of their positions on firearms idiotic at times.  However, I find the views of the anti-gun lobby just as inane and idiotic.  Neither side has cornered the market on common sense.

I asked the questions above because I feel they need to be answered honestly by both sides of the argument. While we are at it I feel we need to drag the medical and mental health providers to the carpet as well.  What did the Columbine shooters, the Norway killer, and the Aurora theater psychopath all have in common besides access to firearms?  All three were at one time or another on psychotropic medications to treat various mental disorders.  That's another discussion altogether, but one we need to have as a nation.  We are quick to ask for meds for everything from anxiety to depression to hyperactivity for kids, yet never wonder what happens when these kids grow up and become adults...and stop taking their meds.  What side-effects do these medications unleash on those taking them?

This is a nation of 300 million plus human beings, meaning today may have just have been an unthinkable six-sigma event.  Societies that have outlawed and banned the ownership of firearms by private citizens still deal with deranged individuals that find ways to inflict harm and pain.  Since 2010 there have been numerous attacks by knife wielding lunatics in and around schools in China, 27 people have died and over 80 injured...and that's not counting the attack yesterday at a kindergarten. Evil finds a way, terrible things happen, and as the population increases and people live longer certain individuals are out there that shouldn't be.  Unfortunately, we don't know who those people are until something incredibly sad, tragic, and senseless occurs.

I hope our prayers bring comfort to those grieving tonight, but we also owe those same families some sensible solutions to the questions that arise after these kinds of tragedies.