A Modest Proposal for Guns

It’s happened again. This time in a movie theater in Aurora, Colorado, not far from Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado. Our hearts are broken at the thought of innocent people gunned down; children! And as with any tragedy like this we ask why?

First of all, there is no single reason for a tragedy like this. The most blame must be placed on the person who perpetrated it, but that begs the question, what wan going on with that person? Mental illness is often involved, but that has its causes too, both inherited and contextual; we have to consider the contextual causes of mental illness, which certainly include an emphasis on peronal success while many of the structures that used to support people have deteriorated and people feel scared and lonely. I think this tragedy warrants a discussion about how we deal with mental illness it this country, or don’t deal with it. I think it is also fair in the wake of this tragedy to talk about guns again.

Guns are not what caused the tragedy, but they are a factor. “Guns don’t kill people, people kill people.” is an empy euphemism and a dodge. “Bombs don’t kill people, suicide bombers kill people,” while true doesn’t stop us from restricting the manufacture of bombs for personal use. This isn’t about blame, but about bringing discussion back to the issue of guns in America. Politicians don’t seem to have the courage to do it.

Neither do I feel inclined to listen to the arguments of the ‘slippery slope’ – the claim that any law restricting guns will gradually lead to guns becoming illegal. Neither is there a conspiracy going on – there is no “agenda” nor a well thought out subterranean plot out there bent on denying Americans guns. These comments are dismissive responses that stop discussion; they are simply not true.

We’ve got to bring the discussion back down to earth. During the primary campaign Newt Gingrich spoke as if the 2nd Amendment was wirtten by God; it is a part of our Christian heritage and those who want to take it away are acting against God’s grand plan for America. There is a missionary zeal to the pronouncements from the Gun Lobby. Gingrich also said that we should take gun rights to the rest of the world, to the United Nations, as we spread democracy we also spread gun rights to all, praise the Lord! (The truth is that the rest of the world thinks we are idiots regarding our love of guns.) One wonders if such rights would also be extended to those living on the moon in the near future? The talk is so irrational and vitriolic that there is no dicussion; we have abandoned critical thinking again.

So I have a reasonable and modest proposal to add to the discussion of guns in America. But first, guns will never be outlawed in America. Personally, I would be in favor of laws such as are in place in Canada, Britain and Japan, but I am practical and willing to dialogue and compromise. Second, I think we have to engage the issue from the standpoint of our faith. It is good to discuss the meaning of the 2nd Amendment, but also important to talk about guns in the Kin-dom of God. It is our responsibility as followers of Jesus Christ to protect the innocent. Anyone who calls him/herself a Christian has to be overwhelmed with sadness thinking of the lives lost in Aurora, Colorado, but then as Christians, what do we do about it? Third, freedom is not the absence of regulation.

My proposal is that all guns be registered, gun owners licensed, and that guns be taxed. Now before anyone gets all “up in arms” this is not unprecedented. Most things that are deemed dangerous have controls and regulations placed upon them and they are taxed. Cigarettes and alcohol are heavily taxed. Sudafed is strictly regulated to discourage the production of methamphetamines’, but the best precedent to follow is automobiles. Cars are dangerous, and because they are dangerous we place restrictions on them for the safety of all. One has to obtain a license, taking a test, and that license must be renewed every few years. Cars are registered with the government, they all have VIN numbers. In order to drive a car we have to have insurance too. I believe this is a good precedence for dealing with guns in America. It would create jobs, bring in tax revenue and most important, it would increase accountability and safety. One last thing: Assault rifles must be banned. They are simply insane!

I am more than willing to discuss this with anyone, provided, as I said, that we do not talk about the ‘slippery ‘ or a conspiracy, and that we include in our discussion how we are it live as Christians. The Social Principles say nothing about guns, which is a troubling oversight. If we were to add something to our Social Principles about guns, what would we write? That’s where our discussion needs to be -and I challenge us all to think about it critically. Pastor Jim