Yes, We Can Do Something (Introduction)

Over the years since the Sandy Hook school shooting, I've had many conversations with friends the 'gun problem' we have. 

What gun problem, you ask? 

The mass shooting problem, which happens with an alarming (if statistically insignificant) frequency in our country, at schools and grocery stores and movieplexes and abortion clinics and religious services (of all faiths) and Walmarts and restaurants and music festivals and office holiday parties and social clubs and community centers and nightclubs and, well, you get the drift. They happen everywhere and anywhere, in America - and they don't happen in other countries. 

Some of our conversations got a little contentious; after all, folks argued, and still argue, that we don't have a gun problem. Rather, we have a:

• lack of church attendance problem;
• a violent video game problem;
• a mental health problem;
• a criminal problem;
• a lack of respect problem;
• a missing father problem;
• a bad parent problem;
• a bullying problem; 
• a lack of prayer in school problem; 
• a lack of good guys with a gun problem; and more. 

My friends and I were able to give up our entrenched positions and work together to come up with things that might have a positive impact this issue; that's something that the people we elect to make to do this kind of stuff seem incapable of doing.

When they try to 'do something,' it seems that every conversation begins - and ends - with banning 'assault' weapons, changing the background check process, and implementing so-called red flag laws. Those are worthwhile changes, which they've tried several times, to no avail. And, they're trying again, now that a bunch of little children have been murdered at a school. Again. 

When they start in the same place every single time, knowing that there is virtually no chance of success, it makes me wonder why they do that, and what goal they're trying to accomplish. Whether it's the Dems or the Republicans, 

• Are they really trying to achieve consensus on meaningful legislation, or are they trying to make a point, or to convince us that at least they're trying?
• Do they really think the 2nd Amendment is the be-all and end-all?
• Are they really trying to protect Americans from danger, or are they trying to protect their own longevity in office?
• Are they really so short-sighted as to think there are only three options here?
• Is their loyalty to their PACs and super-donors and the lobbyists, or to the people of this country?
• Do they really believe that doing nothing is better than working together?

Regular readers of veritable pastiche are familiar with my lack of affection for most politicians, particularly those in the Senate, where legislation goes to die. I'm sick of partisan nonsense, of the do-nothingness that we often witness. 

 You may also know that I've written about gun safety or the lack thereof, all too often over the years. You can read those posts here, if you want to get your feet wet. 

And you are invited to stick around for, and chime in on, the posts in this Yes, We Can Do Something series; they summarize (and augment) the recommendations I've batted around with my friends over the years.

One more thing - you may be wondering about the 'And Now for Something Completely Different' meme that accompanies these posts. I included that because what we need now, if we're to accomplish anything at all, is just that: something completely different. 

• It's time for partisan, entrenched positions to be set aside for the greater good. 

• It's time for legislators to stop worrying about their next election, and start worrying about making it harder for Americans to be victimized by their countrymen in these heinous acts of gun violence. 

• It's time to stop deflecting the conversation away from mass shootings by pointing to gang-infested cities and saying "gun control doesn't work." 

• It's time to stop saying that risk is so low, we don't need to worry about it, and to stop making the argument that there are lots of other things that kill and injure more children than school shootings. 

• It's time to find common ground, no matter how hard it is to do that. 

It is time for something completely different. And frankly, if my friends and I can do it, it's long past time for the people we pay to do this to get to work. 

If they need some recommendations, I've got a bunch of them. First up? Guns and ammo, in Part 1. 

I hope you'll stick around.