Don’t count on cowards in Washington
That “ho hum” you hear is the sound of resignation. A creeping resignation to the reality that the mass slaughter of our children and teachers by a school shooter is a new norm in America.
For those waiting for Congress to do something, anything — forget it. They’re cowards. They go to Washington to increase personal wealth and accrue power — power that they then are afraid to use because they fear the wrath, not of the voters (their bosses), but the wrath of one misdirected, out-of-control lobbying group.
The late Justice Antonin Scalia, in the Heller case decided by the Supreme Court in 2008, said the Second Amendment guarantees that citizens have a right to own a gun and defend themselves and their families in their home. Period. Full stop. The Supreme Court did not give license for maniacs to use semi-automatic weapons and inflict carnage on the American public in a nightclub, in a church, at a country concert, or in our schools.
When I look at Washington, D.C., these days, I get sick to my stomach. It’s no longer a place where giants go to serve the public interests; it’s a place for gutless wonders.
Some say, “Guns don’t kill people, people kill people.” I say it’s both. People with guns kill people.
Some say, “The issue is not guns, it’s mental health.” I say it’s both. There are too many disturbed people these days with easy access to semi-automatic weapons.
Some say, “It’s too soon to talk about gun safety legislation in the wake of a tragedy.” I say it’s too late — especially for every innocent human being in America who has died from mass gun violence.
Long before we were plagued with the epidemic of opioids in our cities, we were consumed with the wholesale killing of our children in schools. That, too, is an epidemic in America. We have responded to the scourge of pills. Investigations, legislation, lawsuits, hearings. But guns and the random killing of kids and adults? Crickets from our politicians.
It’s time to turn our backs on Washington. They’re hopeless and useless when it comes to a crisis. They’ve been bought and paid for. We need to focus our efforts on local and state government officials. The best governments, and the most responsive governments, are still the governments closest to the people. Hope lies with elected leaders in Columbus and other state capitols, and in our cities and local communities.
Every city council member, every state legislator, every candidate for state office ought to be grilled on this epidemic of violence and asked for an answer to the question: What are you going to do about it? Insist on straightforward responses and fresh ideas when you meet your local candidate for the state legislature at neighborhood meetings, at the grocery — anywhere they’re asking for votes.
Get to these people before they acquire Washington fever and are rendered hopeless. Leadership these days must come from the bottom up. It certainly isn’t coming from the top down. No more students need be traumatized for life, and no more parents need to lose their precious children as a result of school shooters.
I’m tired of hearing the phrase, “My thoughts and prayers go out to...”
And I’m really tired of hearing that “it’s too soon to talk about these issues.” Frankly, it’s too late for Parkland, Las Vegas, Sandy Hook, Virginia Tech and on, and on, and on.
On April 20, high school students (and hopefully, college students) are planning a walkout to express nationwide support for common-sense gun legislation. I will be supporting them. When my generation was their age, we played a role in stopping an unpopular war. With the passion, energy and commitment of our youth, there’s a hope that our elected officials will finally wake up.
Paul R. Leonard is a former state legislator, former mayor of Dayton and former Ohio lieutenant governor. He teaches political science at Wright State University.