The Problem With Knee Jerk Reactions: Other Than The Jerk

We knew it wasn’t gonna take long.  As shock and horror melted away into grief, which in turn melted into rejoicing, we have time to reflect on the impacts of this tragedy.

Because they are elected to “do the people’s business”, our elected officials are going to feel obligated to do just that.

To be sure, folks are gonna line up and voice their complaint, their grievance, their solution.  And they’re gonna say, like everyone before them, “Restrict more rights!”

Except they won’t say it like that.

They’re gonna pull on the tragedy, in this case Arizona, to make their case for them.  And really, you may not be able to strictly blame ’em; it’s human nature to react to a crisis by trying to prevent it.  However, that doesn’t change the fact that simply because one maladjusted lunatic went crazy is no reason to begin conversations on the restriction of rights:

Rep. Peter King (R-N.Y.), one of the few pro-gun control Republicans in the House, wants to make it illegal for someone to knowingly carry a gun within 1,000 feet of certain high-ranking federal officials, including members of Congress.

I mean serious.  Does anyone think that the best way to stop people from going 85 mph in a 55 mph zone is to change the law so that it’s now a 45 mph zone?

5 responses to “The Problem With Knee Jerk Reactions: Other Than The Jerk

  1. If the government really wanted people to stop shooting each other, they’d pass laws to ensure every citizen had a gun, and knew how to use it. Crime would drop overnight to almost nothing.

  2. If the government really wanted people to stop shooting each other, they’d pass laws to ensure every citizen had a gun, and knew how to use it.

    Isn’t there a city in Vermont that requires just that?

  3. In former Yugoslavia everyone guns in the 90s, and violent crime was everywhere, and in fact became open war. Arming people does nothing to increase safety. Gun violence is not a function of gun ownership, but reflects cultural and socio-economic factors. ( I have no intention of ever getting a gun, and if the government tried to force me to I’d refuse that infringement on my liberty.) That, however, is the same reason why gun control doesn’t work.

    • Now that I’m thinking about it, with as angry and ignorant as the majority of Americans are, mandatory armament would be a huge mistake. The shoot-out at the OK Corral in Tombstone Arizona is a good example of ‘when it was bad everyone had a gun.’ Similar, yet opposite to you, I feel that my gun is mine, and protecting my family with it should not be a criminal act.

    • Gun violence is not a function of gun ownership, but reflects cultural and socio-economic factors.

      It would be cool to see if there are studies done on violent crime before gun control and after gun control.

      Think college campus or town ordinance.

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