What To Do After Newtown

In the aftermath of the tragic shooting in Newtown, our country finds itself in the familiar position of wanting to figure out not only why something happened, but how to stop anything like it from happening again.  Everyone can agree that no one wants things like this to happen. The disagreement lies in what, if anything, can be done to prevent any further tragedies.

Complicating that issue is the immediate reaction many people have after tragic events like Newtown: calling for complete bans on handguns, rifles, or any other sort of firearm. While I can understand that as an emotional response after the murder of innocent people, it’s just not realistic and frankly, it’s never going to happen. The sooner everyone understands this, we can move on to determining what, if anything, can realistically be done to help stop these types of events from occurring.

Does the answer lie in how we view and treat mental illness in America? Is the availability of high-capacity magazines something that needs to be looked at? Are private gun sales between two individuals an issue? Are gun shows a problem? Do we just need to do a better job of enforcing the gun laws we already have? Do we need to have armed plain-clothes security at schools? Or is the answer that, as much as we might want to, you just can’t do anything to stop someone who is dead set on committing an act like this?

I’ll freely admit that I don’t know the answer, or if one even exists, but I would be willing to listen to someone offering a realistic solution that would cover at least the following:

• Offer tangible proof that the idea would have stopped this from happening
• Is actually an idea that can be implemented (Hint: Melting down all guns is not one)
• Does not trample on the rights of millions of Americans that choose to own guns and do so legally

What I won’t be willing to listen to is anyone calling for a ‘national conversations’ and setting up commissions ‘to study’ the situation, or proposing bills that would have in no way prevented this shooting from happening.  Those things are usually nothing more than a way for politicians and pundits to raise money and see if any sort of political victory can be achieved in a situation.

I’m more than willing to listen to serious ideas and solutions about this. The problem is that I have yet to really see any of them from anyone. If you have one let’s hear about it, but if you’re only reaction, solution, or idea is to name-call, attack anyone who disagrees in the slightest, or pass a law that will like do more harm than good? Sit down and be quiet, you’re not helping.

 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)