From: Tom Lane
Columbus
I must applaud The Republic’s position on the recent gun controversy. It does take a lot of guts for a southern Indiana newspaper to take that stance. It jeopardizes some of its revenue stream by the loss of readers.
We often let money run too much of our thinking. That is what the National Rifle Association is counting on.
We need to vote out the supporters of poor gun regulations. As any of you who have read my articles and letters know, I do not usually take a clear stand on things. I prefer to walk the middle ground of seeing both sides and questioning the way we think about things. I like to make people think more than make them agree or disagree with me. Better thinking gets better results in this world. But this goes beyond that.
Killing of children and so many other innocents, with weapons that have no place in civilian life, is beyond the pale of human life. If we think it is OK to have weapons of this kind of destruction, then why not have any weapon available to ordinary citizens? We don’t, because in our hearts we know letting people have hand grenades, rocket launchers, etc., would create havoc in our society. We just don’t know how to draw the line. Some fear that “slippery slope” of going to no guns. That is very sad. Sad for the living to think that way.
Let us use the mantra of the “pro life” people. Those who believe that life is precious in the womb, but somehow forget the lives of those walking around in our schools. Who want to “stop killing the innocent” but somehow find that school kids are no longer “innocent.” Where life starts is a long debate, but we all agree that a life in school is not a debate.
If someone is “pro gun,” then we need to vote them out. If someone gets NRA money, we vote them out. If someone does not back the common sense issues raised in The Republic editorial, then vote them out. It is not a Second Amendment issue, it is a life and death issue. No one needs an AR-15, and anyone who thinks they do should be disqualified as mentally incompetent. And I do feel bad for anyone who feels that much fear in their lives, that lacking a gun they cannot live a peaceful life.
We should give our thoughts and prayers to them, not the victims of gun violence. We should give our vote to those who oppose anyone who thinks that owning a gun like that is a good idea.
