Failure Of Leadership
May 3, 2021 at 5:00 p.m.
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It has become almost routine that after every mass shooting there are those who seek solutions like enhanced background checks and voluntary gun buy backs, and those who oppose any new laws regarding guns, and who claim that mental health counseling is the solution.
Such was the case when the Kosciusko County Commissioners declared the county a Second Amendment Sanctuary. The declaration by the commission amounts to both a misreading of the Constitution, and a failure of leadership when it comes to seeking real and effective solutions to gun violence.
Contrary to what the promoters of these sanctuaries would have us believe, the Second Amendment does not protect all guns. The 1994 Assault Weapons Ban is a case in point. Furthermore, in the 2008 Supreme Court case of The District of Columbia vs Heller, Justice Scalia wrote for the majority that, “Like most rights, the right secured by the Second Amendment is not unlimited. [It is] not a right to keep and carry any weapon whatsoever in any manner whatsoever and for whatever purpose.”
The Commission’s proclamation carries no weight under the law. It’s simply a showpiece that is being pushed by Republicans around the country to win votes. It amounts to an unwillingness to engage in the type of dialogue urgently needed to address the epidemic of gun violence. It does nothing to protect us or the police officers who have to work the streets in a country where there are more guns than people.
In place of meaningful attempts to solve the gun crisis, Republicans want us to focus on mental health. Their approach rings hollow, however, when you consider that Republicans tried at least 70 times to take away or substantially reduce healthcare for millions of Americans.
Every day we hear of another mass shooting, and every day we hear more platitudes from all sides. It’s time for our elected leaders to stop the political fighting and seek real solutions to gun violence. Americans deserve better.
Robert Osbun
Leesburg, via email
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It has become almost routine that after every mass shooting there are those who seek solutions like enhanced background checks and voluntary gun buy backs, and those who oppose any new laws regarding guns, and who claim that mental health counseling is the solution.
Such was the case when the Kosciusko County Commissioners declared the county a Second Amendment Sanctuary. The declaration by the commission amounts to both a misreading of the Constitution, and a failure of leadership when it comes to seeking real and effective solutions to gun violence.
Contrary to what the promoters of these sanctuaries would have us believe, the Second Amendment does not protect all guns. The 1994 Assault Weapons Ban is a case in point. Furthermore, in the 2008 Supreme Court case of The District of Columbia vs Heller, Justice Scalia wrote for the majority that, “Like most rights, the right secured by the Second Amendment is not unlimited. [It is] not a right to keep and carry any weapon whatsoever in any manner whatsoever and for whatever purpose.”
The Commission’s proclamation carries no weight under the law. It’s simply a showpiece that is being pushed by Republicans around the country to win votes. It amounts to an unwillingness to engage in the type of dialogue urgently needed to address the epidemic of gun violence. It does nothing to protect us or the police officers who have to work the streets in a country where there are more guns than people.
In place of meaningful attempts to solve the gun crisis, Republicans want us to focus on mental health. Their approach rings hollow, however, when you consider that Republicans tried at least 70 times to take away or substantially reduce healthcare for millions of Americans.
Every day we hear of another mass shooting, and every day we hear more platitudes from all sides. It’s time for our elected leaders to stop the political fighting and seek real solutions to gun violence. Americans deserve better.
Robert Osbun
Leesburg, via email
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