Exploiting the difference

An important question this week, though I don't remember who said it: Why do we think we can shoot our way to a solution?

Art Kamm has a guest posting on the blog Pam's House Blend that is of interest given last weekend's news. Kamm's credentials are only that he blogs about his take on issues such as debt, health care, climate, intolerance, and extremism. His choice of topics (given his view on this topic) means he is a kindred spirit. Alas, that doesn't mean he is any more qualified to talk realistically on a topic than I am. Even so, this time his point is something I (and my friend and debate partner) long to hear. Here's my summary of a long post.

Yes, the NRA is currently very powerful in American politics. Politicians are afraid of crossing them. Conservative courts tend to rule in their favor.

Yes, there is a gun violence problem in America. Kamm supplies lots of statistics to back that up. That includes noting our firearm homicide rate is about 5 times greater than Great Britain. Even death of children by accidental shooting is high and death by shooting matches death by auto accident.

Surveys show that NRA members and gun owners in general disagree with the policies promoted by the central NRA office. In addition, 88% of all voters (not just gun owners) in Virginia, North Carolina, and Colorado feel everyone should be subjected to a background check before buying a gun.

As in the GOP, the ideas of the NRA are being associated with extreme positions. Those who believe in guns for everybody tend also to believe that abortion should not be available in the case of rape. These ideas are offensive to an increasingly diverse America.

It is possible to reframe the debate. Allowing concealed guns in restaurants is a liability issue for the owners. Gun control isn't about gun rights, but a disproportionate loss of innocent life to gunfire, an amazing amount of lead pollution from thousands of tons of spent bullets, and keeping guns out of the hands of the mentally ill.

We are now to the point where it should be possible to exploit the difference between the desires of the voters (especially gun owners) and the policies of the NRA. Lawmakers wanting to keep their jobs will pay attention no matter how much money the NRA spends on their behalf. That difference is also why the NRA will eventually implode.

Something to keep in mind that I heard from a different source (alas, no link): The purpose of the NRA is to represent the interests of gun manufacturers, not the citizens. And their interest is to sell more guns. The NRA just happens to be very good at harnessing the passions of gun owners to do their bidding.

Some commenters to Kamm's post also note this purpose of the NRA and believe it won't go away any time soon.