Aim continues to be off-target in solving mass-shooting riddle
California Gov. Gavin Newsom stated that male gender must be an instrumental part of addressing gun violence.
“These shootings overwhelmingly are males … I think that is missing in the national conversation. If there was anything more obvious, I don’t know what (it) is,” Newsom said. He added: “I think that goes deep to the issue of how we raise our boys to be men, goes deeply to values that we tend to hold dear – power, dominance, aggression, over empathy, care and collaboration.”
All that from a self-identified feminist. With leaders like Newsom, it’s no wonder Cali is bankrupt – morally and financially.
Since the guv “doesn’t know” anything else about how to stem the shootings except discrimination against males (and is it all males, or just some groups?), here’s a suggestion: He and his Democratic colleagues should practice what they preach.
Maybe they should revisit the left’s constant condemnation of America’s boys and men as “white toxic masculinity” and “white male gun culture.” Stripping away the natural qualities imbued in a male’s makeup – strength, compassion, boldness, protector – is an indecent assault on their character and dignity, and leads to a significant, and sometimes violent, backlash. Instead of trying to sociallyengineer men into something they’re not, they should embrace and promote that which makes the American man unique.
Here’s another inconsistency: It’s impossible to have “empathy, care and collaboration” when their party shows massive intolerance.
Democratic leaders in El Paso and Dayton, in slamming President Trump’s decision to visit those cities, called him “unhelpful,” stating he was unwelcome. Their arrogance is staggering! First, how can you have “collaboration” if you turn your back on Republicans – and, in particular, the most powerful man in the world?
Second, how can you show empathy for the victims – and they include not just those in the shooting, but every American – when you politicize the massacre, and presume that all of your constituents automatically agree with you? To those local pols, here’s a civics lesson: Yes, it’s your congressional or mayoral district, but it’s the president’s district, too. And the people of El Paso and Dayton aren’t just your constituents; they are Donald Trump’s as well.
Not only did the president win both states, and win big, but there are many Hispanics, blacks and other constituencies who approve of, or at least respect, the president. Shame on you for failing your people on the values that matter: Tolerance, open-mindedness, and class. With that attitude, good luck getting your “solutions” enacted.
This column has covered the assault-weapon issue, and the reasons why these mass killings are occurring now, when they didn’t just a generation ago. But other aspects need addressing.
1) The “more gun-control” faction needs a psychology lesson: People won’t compromise when your platform is based on deliberate falsehoods, slander and misinformation. A few prevalent examples:
A) “Mass shootings don’t happen in other countries.” Wrong. Not only do they occur, but America ranks well down the list. The Crime Prevention Research Center analyzed the frequency of mass shootings, comparing the U.S. to European nations and Canada. America ranked 12th. The CPRC also determined that of the 86 countries where mass shootings were identified, the U.S. ranked
56th in per capita rate of attacks, and 61st in mass public shooting rate. Rebuttal: Solve the real problems.
B) “Assault weapons like the AR15 and AK-47 are used in almost all mass shootings.” Not even close. The handgun is, in fact, the preferred weapon by more than a
2-to-1 margin. And rifles, as a percentage of guns in all homicides, are 3 percent. Solve the problem.
C) “The majority of mass shooters are manifesto-wielding white nationalists.” Not even in the ballpark. In fact, “white nationalists” – whatever that term means, as it’s become the left’s new mantra to attack the president – account for very few mass shooters. Part One already listed numerous massacres where the perpetrator wasn’t white; therefore, if not white, then not a white nationalist. And for the white shooters, almost none committed atrocities for a “white nationalist” agenda: Vegas, Parkland, the attack against the congressional Republican baseball team (by a left-wing activist), and yes, the Dayton shooter, who advocated a left-wing agenda.
Enough with the labels and disingenuous blame-game. Solve the problem.
2) We are safe. And the overwhelming odds are that we won’t be involved in a mass shooting, much less get shot. So let’s stop the sky-is-falling fear. Doing so leads to poor decisions, destroys quality of life, and harms the economy. Worrying that you will be in a mass shooting (or that your plane will be hijacked) is like fretting about how to spend Powerball winnings. News flash: Yes, someone will win Powerball. It just won’t be you – or me.
Obviously, that isn’t to minimize the trauma experienced by the victims and their families. But we must remember that A) we are living in the safest time in human history, by far; B) crime in America is at historic lows, and C) we are nowhere close to living in “unprecedented hate.” Let’s keep proper perspective, shall we?
3) What a joke that Venezuela advised its citizens to avoid America because of mass shootings. Great, except that most Venezuelans can’t leave their exorbitantly high-crime nation because the government effectively declared martial law.
And then we have Mexico contemplating extradition of the El Paso shooter and threatening to sue the gun dealer who (legally) sold him his gun. Honest to God, don’t people ever get sick of bloviating? Mexico should concern itself with keeping tourists from being killed, and stopping its own police from being massacred by drug cartels.
For the record, traveling to five specific Mexican states is as dangerous as traveling to Afghanistan, Syria and Iraq, according to the U.S. State Department. As of 2016, more Americans were killed in Mexico than the combined total killed in every other country. Nice try, Mexico. Thanks for playing.
4) People are offering stats showing “mental health,” as a reason for mass shootings, is relatively low. Wrong. It’s 100 percent. Anyone who decides to kill as many as possible, including children, is mentally ill. The big question is why that “kill-em-all” illness exploded over the last 20 years. (This author analyzed that in a three-part series from 2018. Links below.)
5) Most gun-control advocates are well-intentioned. But taking actions that won’t work only exacerbates the problem, since it’s time not spent finding real answers. Here are a few misguided suggestions: 30-day waiting period; one gun purchase every six months; background and mental health check; fingerprint trigger sensor so only the owner can shoot; ban assault rifles, followed by confiscation of existing guns; reduce magazine capacity; and of course, expand the police state.
Rebuttal: Most mass shooters pass background checks, and there is no such thing as a “mental check,” since that data is often confidential. Waiting periods and limiting purchases won’t faze longterm planners.
Individual trigger sensors? That wouldn’t have stopped most mass shooters, since they legally own their weapons. Ironically, gun proliferation would increase, as a family of four who wanted to target shoot would therefore have to buy four separate guns.
We don’t need more law enforcement; we need better execution – evidenced by the Air Force’s inexcusable failure to list a Texas mass shooter on the dishonorably discharged list in the FBI’s background check system, which allowed him to buy a gun. Magazine capacity is irrelevant since even a novice can swap 10-round clips in under two seconds, even while carrying multiple guns. Lastly, gun bans are one thing, but confiscation will lead to civil war that will make the first one look tame. That’s not hyperbole, nor conjecture, but fact. Leave confiscation out of the equation, or the left will start a war it can’t win.
People need to stop parroting buzz words, put down their lattes, stop binge-watching, and get to work. If not, it’s no shot in the dark to say we’ll be having this same conversation soon enough. Three Part Series from 2018: Part 1: https://www.delcotimes.
com/opinion/chris-freind-we-rebecoming-used-to-these-massshootings/article_cb6d98ae-b4715c08-bb1b-74f85942d48e.html Part 2: https://www.delcotimes. com/opinion/chris-freind-it-s-ourfault-why-mass-shootings-are/
article_192ad53e-a40c-5590-bbcd70a6cf278f75.html
Part 3: https://www.delcotimes.
com/opinion/chris-freind-massshooting-carnage-will-continueuntil-we-answer/article_07d5c19d959d-55d5-bc0b-4b9eb0a9a961. html