Column: Firearms have no place in civilized society. We should repeal the 2nd Amendment
"Constitutional Carry": What a euphemistic, "newspeak" concept!
Passed to the governor for signature a day ahead of the announced schedule, depending largely on his political ambitions, not merit or lack, for passage. Next probable and equally "logical" step: Unregulated firearm ownership for every man, woman and child in America.
Already, neighborhood and school shootings are "commonplace;" "ghost" gun kits and plastic, 3-D copier "homemades" are becoming ubiquitous; and "doorbuster" big box rushes follow every histrionic media saturation of mass firearm attacks and the Indiana Legislature wants gun ownership to be unregulated.
Biden and anti-gun lobbyists "pussyfoot" around the only real issue — the "right" itself —while insanities are amok and lunatics run the asylum. We seem precariously balanced on a fragile tipping point. The time seems right and essential for a total reboot as the only sensible solution to the gun violence problem. (Gun violence being a redundancy).
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Firearm use is by definition a violent act (homicide when a human is the recipient) and has no place in civilized society. Nothing ever invented is easier to obtain or more lethal with less effort than a firearm. No reasonable person could possibly imagine that expressing one's feelings or opinions with a bullet could be equivalent to "free speech" or even exist as a "right" on the same piece of paper.
The only real solution must begin with the repeal of the 2nd Amendment in its entirety and without delay. It might then be re-written in clear language as a privilege to be strictly regulated — the details to be worked out later by usual democratic means. This would include specifics as to legal and reasonable legitimacy of uses, manufacture, sales, types, and related products.
In the interim, of course, all guns in current ownership, manufacture, storage, etc., would need to be recalled, and if not "re-legalized," eliminated. Some current types and uses, would be restored, regulated and licensed as appropriate with little real inconvenience. Thus, this idea is not anti-gun per se, nor in any sense extreme.
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Personally, I would not recommend self-defense either by pre-emptive or counter attack as an appropriate use, as there are many effective and less lethal options. Of course, under the new laws, it would still be true that if (some) guns are outlawed, only outlaws would have guns, but non-compliance would make (possibly) you, (former law-abiding citizen) one of them, now wouldn't it? (And good luck with that.)
In closing, I remind the reader of the playwright Chekov's quote: "If, in the first act you have hung a pistol on the wall, then in the following one it should be fired." Also: "He who lives by the (sword) ... etc." Meanwhile, I and my personal gun: Locked, no bullets, single action, and not very accurate (and therefore little threat) remain very truly yours for peace, good will, and universal disarmament in our times.
Paul Shriver, EdD, is a forensic and clinical psychologist. He lives in Monroe County.
This article originally appeared on The Herald-Times: Columnist: Constitutional carry is a step toward unregulated firearms
