MEMORIES OF GUNS
Editor’s Note: The following letter is a response to a piece from Jodie Sinclair that appeared on the opinion page on April 19.
Ms Sinclair's article attempts to place the blame for our school shooting tragedies on AR-15 style rifles. She appears to suggest that there is something inherently evil about the AR15, even though one in 20 adults in the US own at least one. Her article blames manufacturers, the NRA , 'gun fanatics,' and the 2nd Amendment. The latter which, she claims, was misread by among others, many Constitutional scholars and the Supreme Court.
The author's blame-the-gun article again 'round(s) up the usual suspects.' But it continues to confound me that very rarely do these often well-educated sociologists, psychologists, pod casters, mostly Democratic politicians and liberal pundits ask, or ponder, why these tragedies happen. No one seems to be willing to ask WHY our often young adults commit these unspeakable acts. What has changed in our youth since the 1950's that causes them to be unable to cope with life today. Is it the absence of the traditional two-parent family? Is it no father-figure, or is it parents who are oblivious to what their children explore on the internet, or what very realistic violent video games they play, or is it on-line 'bullying?' Most of all, is it perhaps the absence of God in their home and the basic thou-shalt-not-kill moral code we learned in the 50's at home, church, and school? Strangely the vast majority of our nation's thought leaders seem afraid to ask WHY a troubled youth would murder children, and just blames guns instead.
One hundred years ago, Prohibition tried, and failed, to solve the problems created by alcohol. In 2021, we had over 100,000 drug overdose deaths in the US - the vast majority from illegal drugs. Making, e.g., Fentanyl illegal has had no discernible effect. Yet our leaders do not seem to ask in earnest WHY kids would use these drugs.
Blaming alcohol, or drugs, or the evil AR15's will not solve these problems. Perhaps most of all WE as parents, do not wish to know the answers.
Dennis Treadwell
Pipe Creek