How Committed To The Cause Are Gun-grabbers?
Right now…in Minnesota…a skirmish for our gun rights is taking place. On Monday, President Obama was in Minneapolis to underscore his support for sweeping new gun control legislation—both federal and at the state government levels. Then on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday this week the Minnesota House of Representatives are holding a series of hearings on a handful of bills that, if they became law, would make Minnesota one of the most restrictive places in the country to own most guns.
And so, I’ve listened to the debate so far both yesterday and today. In essence, it’s the same old story we’ve heard for years with now the emotional twist of some mass shootings thrown in for good measure. Will the testimony really have an influence on the legislative committee? I doubt it…I think both sides are pretty well set with how they will eventually vote. In some ways these committee hearings take place just to give both sides a chance to air their views…to feel better somehow their message was at least listened to.
But, today’s hearing was most striking to me. The author of HF241–Assault Weapon Ban Bill in presenting her opening remarks to the hearing about the bill had a decision to make. Does she stay and fully introduce the bill while being available for questions, or does she leave the hearing early to attend a speaking engagement at a nearby theater for a bunch of school students? Tough choice, huh?
On one hand she’s presenting legislation for enactment directly impacting everyone’s constitutional rights. On the other hand, she certainly wouldn’t want to disappoint a bunch of school kids who my guess is doesn’t even know who Rep. Hausman is anyway. Check out the video beginning at the 17:30 minute point and see what she decides.
More importantly, Rep. Hausman didn’t even turn her duties over to a co-author of the bill. Nope! Instead she turned her duties over to Heather Martens who is the executive director of Protect Minnesota. To me that act alone shows a real lack of legislative commitment to one’s cause and duties as a legislator.
Frankly, I wonder how committed many sponsors of gun-grabbing legislation are no matter what legislative body they exist in. They don’t have the facts on their side…so, instead they peddle raw emotion. And that sometimes works great when terrible events are vivid in people’s minds and it overshadows logical thinking. Yet, the truth is most poor decisions people tend to make in life are those based purely on emotion. Take emotion out of the equation and allow logical, open-minded thinking to replace the discussion.
Right now it’s obvious the gun-grabbers are throwing lots of misguided gun legislation out there hoping something will stick. I truly believe in their hearts they are not as committed to their positions as those of us who push for gun rights are committed to our beliefs.
There are many battles yet to be waged. There will be lots of misinformation disseminated and twisted in the media about these and other proposed new gun control measures. But in the end, if we are battling an opponent who lacks the commitment level we have as gun owners possess, their actions and words will ultimately ring hollow and will have no merit in our society.
©2013 Jim Braaten. All Rights Reserved. No Reproduction without Prior Permission.