My Response to the NRA's Press Conference
Thank you, NRA, for stepping up and making a contribution to the conversation concerning our culture of violence.
You made a fair analysis of the contributing factors--including the glorification of the perpetrators, decline of criminal prosecution, violence glorified in video games, movies and music videos. To this I would also add the issues surrounding mental health care... and I would be less critical of the media... but for the most part you have analyzed our culture of violence very well.
I appreciate the NRA for offering the nation their expertise in training armed guards for every school in the nation, as well as offering school designs and security systems to prevent a repeat of what happened in CT. However, the idea of a volunteer from the community being the armed guardian of the school sounded too much like a vigilante... and, in my opinion, that would only add to the culture of violence.
I was grateful you did not advocate the arming of teachers, principals, or custodians within a school but left that for each system to tweak. My major disappointment is that your statement stopped short of a balanced and well-rounded solution to our culture of violence.
Where the NRA FAILED:
1. The NRA was quick to point fingers at others, but took absolutely NO RESPONSIBILITY for your contribution to the present culture of violence.
2. The NRA expressed NO WILLINGNESS to collaborate with the President and Congress in setting reasonable regulations on required background checks, particular weapons and amounts of ammunition, as well as closing loop holes at the gun shows.
3. According to the immediate fact check response some of the statistics given in the NRA press conference were inaccurate.
NRA's shortsightedness and inability to accept their portion of the responsibility for our culture of violence disappoints me. So now it is up to Congress and the President to stand up to the NRA and do what they know the majority of Americans want them to do--establish regulations, background checks, close up loop holes, etc.
.JPG)
To my friends who question the validity of adding more guns to our culture of violence I say:
ReplyDeleteI think it is a beginning... but, on the other hand, I agree with you. A more peaceful society will not happen by arming more people... but until that day comes our nation will have to see what works best to protect a community and work together from that point.
Our responsibility (as the church) must continue to be working to help create a more peaceful society--working to correct injustices, addressing the accessibility of mental health care, educating to reduce the stigma of seeking mental health care. However, already existing and receiving God's blessing (as I read the NT) are police men and women, already armed and given the responsibility to keep our communities safe. People of faith are commissioned to pray for them so that we may live peaceable lives. [Rm 13:1-6; Titus 3:1; 1 Tim 2:1-2]
As I said, in our culture of violence each of us has to contribute our part to the solution--and for me, arguing with the NRA doesn't contribute to that peace we all seek. If this is what the NRA offers then we need to be gracious enough to let them bring that to the table so we can continue to talk. I would suggest that the NRA pay for these armed guards and not lay it at the feet of the taxpayers as they've suggested.