Hopefully enough
time has passed so we can mention the shooting that wounded Rep. Scalise. As I
write this, he is still hospitalized. We all wish him a speedy and full
recovery. I also wish him and our representative a speedy change of heart.
Mr. Scalise has
received $18,900 from the NRA and Ms. Stefanik, $4000. Much has been said, in
the wake of the shooting, about the lack of civility in our discourse. The NRA
sells a T-shirt with an eagle clutching a rifle. The slogan is, "Because
you can't fist fight tyranny." Classy. We have a healthy enough system of
government and a free press to prevent tyrants from taking root. It's worked
well so far and seems to still be.
Maybe it's time
for Congress to make gun policy without the aid of these lobbyists for the gun
industry. Would merchants of death have been uncivil? It's past time to get rid
of the Dickey Amendment prohibiting funding of the CDC to reduce gun deaths.
Jay Dickey himself, before he passed, called for its repeal. How about our reps
doing the very least they can to address the problem? They can do it while they
wait for the white puffs of smoke from the Senate chimney portending the
"new and improved" AHCA.
When you have an organization (the NRA) that lobbied Congress to pass legislation that prohibits pediatricians from asking families if they have guns in the house and if they're secured so that children don't accidentally shoot themselves or others, then that organization is a criminal cult. Period.
ReplyDeleteI saw a statistic recently that the third leading cause of death among children was being shot. It's just nuts. I don't know how they live with themselves.
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