gun control – Oscar Valdes

More Shootings

Yet another one, this last at Michigan State University. As of this writing, it appears that the shooter was not linked to the school.
And we still don’t have effective gun control laws.
What will it take?
‘A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a Free state, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms shall not be infringed,’ says the Second Amendment in the Bill of Rights.
But I say to you that there’s no ‘well regulated Militia’ in this country. That the estimated 350 million plus guns in private hands are not necessary for the security of America and instead act against it. And that the right to bear Arms creates far more problems than it solves.
Therefore, the Second Amendment is toxic to the country as it permits the killings of thousands of innocent people every year.
On January 6th 2021, an assault on Capitol Hill in Washington DC took place.
Our sitting president at the time was an influential factor in such assault.
Where the hell was the ‘well regulated Militia’?
The intent of the calculated aggression was to overturn a legitimate election.
Where was the ‘well regulated Militia?’
Nowhere, because it doesn’t exist. It is not real and will not come to the assistance of any movement that threatens our political system because owning a gun is not enough.
In the face of a threat to our political system what is needed are educated minds, people with a commitment to the laws of this nation who have invested in cultivating their sense of civic duty to assist their brothers and sisters.
In the face of a threat to our nation, what will be needed is people to speak up whenever there is corruption in government, what is needed is the courage to protest and stand side by side against would be oppressors, so the pillars of our nation are not undermined and destroyed.
Gun owners and all those gun bearers throughout this land did nothing to stop the injustice of the Capitol assault as it unfolded, except perhaps scratch their heads in puzzlement.
But those same gun owners will fight to the end any attempted restriction on their right to buy guns. Regardless of whether the buyer has the integrity to handle a gun or the emotional makeup to show restraint.
The gun lobby is a drag on the development, political and economic maturation of this country.
It is not an asset but a detriment.
It keeps us from connecting with each other.
What it does do is help us hide from the call to civic duty to our fellow human beings.
The freedom to buy guns must be restricted because the deaths of innocent people at the hands of the misguided or confused, envious or angry, is a deep wound being inflicted to the essence of who we are.
Very often, at the heart of the motivation of the shooters, is a profound sense of envy at having fallen behind and not being part of our national project.
That task of building ties to our fellow citizens is essential. It cannot be left to government.
Defenders of gun laws need to ask themselves, which is more important, my duty to my brothers and sisters, or the right to own a gun that breeds isolation.
The price of liberty is measured in the courage to stand against injustice, whenever and wherever it happens.
The price of liberty is also measured in our ability to hold our pain, and not give it to others.

Oscar Valdes is the author of Letters to a Shooter (available on Amazon) and other self published books.

The Cost of Carrying Guns

Consider these two examples.
About a year ago or so in Florida, a man riding a motorcycle was tapped by a moving vehicle at an intersection.
By his own admission, neither he nor his bike were damaged. But the other vehicle, driven by a woman, didn’t stop and left the scene instead.
The man in the bike followed. Another person, who had witnessed the accident, followed, too.
The woman arrived at her home, aware that the man in the bike had trailed her. She went inside, took out her gun, stepped out and pointed it at him.
The man drew his own and shot her dead.
No charges were pressed.
What stands out in this incident?
The woman should have stopped, yes, apologized and taken responsibility.
The man who chose to follow needed only to get her license plate and report it to the police. He already had a witness. But he didn’t. He chose to seek justice on his own.
Now consider this second example.
A few days ago, in Houston, a man and his wife were robbed at an ATM. As the robber fled, the man shot at him but missed. Instead, he struck and killed a 9 year old girl sitting in a passing car.
A grand jury chose to not indict the man.
So who takes responsibility for the death of the 9 year old? No one.
In both instances, the responses of the shooters show poor judgment and a profound disregard for our institutions.
The number of states which allow its residents to carry guns without a license is steadily increasing. But it does not make any sense.
What is being neglected in the two examples described above?
The level of emotional continence in the men who fired the guns. Neither had enough emotional strength to see the potential consequences of their actions.
The law let them get away with it but their behaviors are clear examples of what we’re not doing as a society.
To not require a license to carry a weapon that can kill another person is to assume that the carrier is of sound judgment. Otherwise, why would it be allowed? So why are we not measuring that?
This is our failure as a society.
We have let Second Amendment defenders carry the day without regard for the character that should stand behind it.
In the name of freedom we are failing to protect our citizens.
In the year 1789, March 4th, in the city of New York, the second amendment was put forward as part of the bill of rights. It read, ‘A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.’
That was 233 years ago, nearly a quarter of a millennium.
At the time it was justified as the nation was being formed and its institutions developed. But today the second amendment is outdated.
It has become an obstacle to our political maturation and public safety.
Why didn’t the man in the first example call the police so they, instead, would track the woman? He had all the identifying information.
Why didn’t the man in the second example, think of the consequences of an errant shot?
Now an innocent 9 year old is dead because of his poor judgment.
Neither shooter was doing anything for the ‘security of a free State’ as the second amendment reads. But the law allowed it.
Both men were indulging their lack of emotional control and poor judgment.
In Texas, there is now a motion being proposed to allow the lowering of the age for lawful possession of a firearm without a license to 18 years.
No mention is made of assessing the emotional maturity of the gun bearer.
The second amendment to the constitution is impeding our democratic progress.
In the face of growing global threats, i.e. China, it is imperative that we accelerate our civic maturation, to go hand in hand with our technological, scientific and industrial advancement.
Evidence that we are not making enough civic progress is the extreme polarization we are stuck with at this time.
What is needed now is to foster dialogue between our citizens and facilitate emotional growth. Not unrestricted gun ownership.
The second amendment is impeding our personal safety and our evolution as a nation.

Oscarvaldes.medium.com

More Shootings. A Proposal

The other day, in the wake of the Tulsa killings, I stop to chat to an acquaintance sitting on a low brick wall in front of our building.
I bring up the recent shootings and then ask, ‘What do you think of gun control?’
The person replies, ‘I believe in the second amendment… I listen to such and such podcast and I believe in that. We have to deal with the mentally ill.’
To which I reply, ‘The mentally ill are responsible for some of it but far from all of it.’
The person returns, ‘We have to go to church…’
And I say, ‘I’m not a church going person.’
Seemingly annoyed, he stood up as he readied to leave and added, ‘Go to church.’
End of conversation.
I wish the gunman in Buffalo, NY, the one in Uvalde, Texas, and the one in Tulsa, Oklahoma, to name only the more recent ones, had found solace and peace of mind in church. But they didn’t. And if the almighty was looking over them as we’re taught he/she does, then, somehow they got away.
So much for being all mighty and all seeing and what not, because we’re bleeding down here.
It is up to us to come up with solutions because the church isn’t doing it.
The men in Buffalo, Uvalde and Tulsa – it’s men, overwhelmingly, not women who like to shoot innocent people – obviously needed to talk to someone. They did not.
Never mind the second amendment for that won’t be repealed. But we need to find some ways to let people channel their grief and resentment.
Government can help. Maybe churches can, too.
Here’s an idea for government to consider. Create a public website or phone line that does not identify the user, so it won’t be seen as a trap. Encourage those in pain to reach out. If tied to a team of helpers that can quickly go to the assistance of the person, should they so desire, it may add to it.
One possible name for the service is ‘Talk. Save your Life.’ Or ‘Crime on My Mind’. Other names may be more effective.
Start a pilot program somewhere.
I wrote a booklet some years ago titled ‘Letters to a Shooter’ where I try to talk a person out of such ghastly action. I will gladly donate the book to the effort. You don’t have to keep my name on it, either. Take it off and modify the contents as you wish, so long as it facilitates assisting the person in pain.
But we have to do something because we are bleeding.
The defenders of the second amendment won’t budge, bills proposing background checks before purchasing guns will keep being defeated in congress, and we’ll continue to shake our heads as we reflect on the latest shooting, muttering under our breaths, ‘Oh God.’
To the American Psychiatric Association and the American Psychological Association, will you please step up and remind us of how much are the mentally ill responsible for the madness that afflicts the nation?
Thank you
And let’s get ready for the next one. It could be in my neighborhood or yours.

Oscar Valdes oscarvaldes.net, medium.com, anchor.fm, buzzsprout, apple and google podcasts

Uvalde -Texas 5/24 ‘No Kids at Risk’

But they were. On that sad morning, just 4 days ago, the gunman crashed his truck into a ditch next to the school, two people from a funeral home across the street came out to see what was happening, were shot at but not hurt, then called 911.
An offsite officer assigned to the school, upon hearing the call, made his way back but didn’t spot the gunman.
Even though the gunman kept firing his weapon.
A teacher propped open a door – then left it open as he went back in to call 911.
That would be the door the gunman would use to go into the building.
Officers arrived. Lots of them. Two got shot at and grazed by the bullets.
Then the officers froze.
They had to call for back up, their commander is reported to have said, for they needed more equipment. Shields. Whatever.
And as they waited they soothed themselves by repeating ‘No kids at risk’.
Meanwhile more desperate 911 calls from inside the school were being made.
Shots being fired.
Wait.
Right. For back up and equipment.
More wait.
And then 21 people were killed. 19 children and 2 teachers.
Only then, the officers went in and killed the gunman. He probably had run out of ammunition.
Yesterday evening I read the sad timeline of events. Thank you to the authorities for putting it out. We needed to know.
In an adjoining article, fleshed out details of the response to the attack were presented.
And nowhere was there mention of the word fear. Nowhere.
But fear had flooded the place, ever since the moment the gunman crashed his truck into the ditch, ever since the first 911 call went out and the gunman started firing round after round.
The offsite officer returning to the school had missed the gunman because of fear.
The officers who’d entered the school and were shot at, stopped the pursuit because of fear.
The commander who put the officer response on hold did so because of fear.
Fear had paralyzed them all.
But you can’t say ‘No kids at risk’ unless you’re absolutely sure they are not at risk.
Otherwise it’s you inventing stuff to quiet the fear in your heart.
In the days following, school walkouts have happened across the nation in protest.
Bills in congress to deter the harm from guns were proposed and voted down.
And in a National Rifle Association meeting, all the participants agreed that it was profoundly sad to see 21 lives cut short. But no gun controls. Absolutely not.
I am sure that at no time during that meeting, the word fear was mentioned.
And yet it is fear that drives the gun owner to be so enamored of his weapons.
So enamored that they don’t see the bleeding of our nation.

Oscar Valdes oscarvaldes.net medium.com anchor.fm buzzsprout apple and google podcasts

Texas In The Spotlight

Photo by Karolina Grabowska on Pexels.com

The governor is about to sign a measure approved by the state’s legislature that will allow anyone 21 or older to carry a handgun without a license or the background check and training that went with it.

Gun lovers are rejoicing.

Finally, Texans are being allowed to be Texans.

They will be fully able to defend themselves from others intending to harm them.

Finally, freedom from the restrictions imposed by liberals who insist in the absurd notion that we’re all in this together.

Finally, an enlightened Republican legislature, is making it possible for Texans to resolve disputes on the spot. You fire, I fire.

Finally, Texans can call for the death of dialogue. For the death of words to take the place of bullets.

It has not been an easy journey. Not easy to arrive at the conclusion that being 21 years old gives you the insight to draw your weapon and fire away.

The profound wisdom of homegrown philosophers was thoroughly examined during the exhaustive process to arrive at the momentous decision.

Freedom, yes, finally, freedom for Texans.

No need to worry about the conditions that lead others to despair and to wish to harm others and themselves.

No need to fret over the human deterioration that leads others to devalue their lives and that of others.

No need to invest in the arduous process of creating better human beings.

Just give them a gun and the matter is settled. The one who draws faster is the one who comes out ahead. Period.

And this is happening in 2021.

This is happening the same year that a Texas hero, Donald Trump, took it upon himself to encourage an assault on the US Capitol because he was angry he hadn’t won the election and how dare the rest of the nation not think like Texans who adore him.

Mind you, Texas has beautiful people, caring and thoughtful, who don’t agree with this decision. But the majority has spoken.

To those who disagree, you can always move out.

Personally, I will make a point to put the state in my flyover list. Just in case I displease a native who will then draw his weapon.

To the gun lovers I say, please, do not let this hold you back. Work on seceding from the rest of the nation. I, for one, will be glad to let you go.

We could still cooperate on matters of defense and other things. Sure.

But here is what I predict. Soon enough, the rate of shootings of innocent people will start to rise and become the highest in the nation.

Nothing can take the place of nurturing the ability to think and being more compassionate.

And it takes hard and patient work.

There is a place for guns in our world, but not to have unrestricted access to them.

I now grieve the loss of Texas from my romantic heart. I had thought of visiting Austin one day, spending time in Dallas, San Antonio, returning to Houston.

I can think of great Texans I would have liked to meet, like Lyndon Johnson and Barbara Jordan.

And I am sure there are many others.

For now, though, the lights in Texas are dimming.

May the forces that are working to keep them alive, one day again prevail.

Meanwhile, good luck, Texas.

Oscar Valdes. Oscarvaldes.net