This letter was printed in the January/February 2020 edition of American Handgunner magazine. It is one of the most accurate and sensible descriptions of what is really going on in our country with what the media insists on calling “gun violence”. We have had guns in abundance throughout our country’s history without the kinds of disturbing shootings we have going on now. Please consider Handgunner reader Nevin D. Holmberg’s explanation of why these things are happening:
Over the last 60 years our society has abandoned its customs, morals, traditions and self restraint to limit bad behavior, including criminality. Many of our politicians, clergy and educators avoid condemning the worst among us and the atrocities they commit. It has become commonplace for teachers to be threatened with violence, or actually to suffer it. Much of our “art” is little more than filth that in many circles is celebrated and defended. Much of this is aimed directly at our children. Our language too has become debased. Terrorist acts and other criminal mass murders commonly are referred to as “tragedies” when in fact they are atrocities. Those committing such violence are referred to as “extremists,” “militants, “depressed,” “angry” or other euphemisms. Moreover, when the responsible parties are caught they are rarely ever executed. Does anybody remember Nicholas Cruz? For 20 months since he murdered over a score of students at Douglas High School in Florida he’s been provided with “three hots and a cot” at taxpayer expense. Why has he not been hung? We have become inured to behavior our parents and grandparents would never have tolerated. Our violence problem is not caused by guns — it’s cultural degeneration and deviancy. These are incredibly complex issues, and not amenable to any “quick fixes.” However, until those matters are addressed and dealt with, the past is but a prelude to the future. It will not be affected by limiting the rights of the citizenry, limiting the kinds of firearms we can own or the number of cartridges they can hold. Such proposals come from fools or charlatans, and will do nothing to cure our nation.
Rather than repeat my own thoughts on this subject, I’ll just remind my readers of post I did a while back — Oh, Really? More Laws.
David Freeman 