Let the Conversation Begin

I am getting tired of these “so-called” cooler heads asking us all to stop talking about gun control in these sad days following the tragedy in Connecticut. We need to pray for the families, they say. Do anything but solve the problem.

 

It happened after Columbine. In the wake of the Columbine tragedy, Littleton Colorado was in a state of shock and “cooler heads” cried out against making this a political event. It was a tragedy, they said, and should not be besmirched by gaining a political leg up.

So we were quiet.

And except for Michael Moore’s documentary, nothing was ever said again about what to do about the availability of weapons capable of killing scores of people very quickly and efficiently.

It happened again after Virginia Tech, when Cho’s brutal assault on his classmates with semi-automatic pistols. “Cooler heads” dominated the conversation, and again we were admonished to remember the fallen and not to disrespect their deaths with calls to limit gun ownership.

And it’s happening right now.

The only problem with the argument is that it never became time to talk about how we can end the violence. We all moved on to the new flavor of the month. And the arms industry remained profitable, and the NRA leadership kept their cushy jobs.

So this time we have to just say NO. Say NO to the cooler heads. Say NO to those who want to end the conversation before it starts.

The dead are crying out. Avenge us. Don’t let this happen to a single other soul. Not to start talking about how to put a stopper on gun violence in this country disrespects the tragic deaths of schoolchildren and educators.

Say no. Let the conversation begin.