A Senator's Silence

TO: Senator Richard Burr, United States Senate, Washington, DC

“We the People of the United States, in Order to … establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence … do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.”

Silence. That is all to be heard from our Congress. Orlando has barely passed into a hazy memory. Yet over a week’s time, we watched clear video of two African-American men shot to death in Louisiana and Minnesota. Shot by police officers apparently inadequately trained and hyper panicky to properly pursue their jobs. Followed by an African-American sniper killing five Dallas policemen motivated by distorted revenge. Five cops in a city recognized for its demonstrated success in reforming policing. That more were not killed in Dallas – police officers and civilians – is due to the judgment and practices of those good cops who ran towards the gunman in order to protect others. Three bad cops in Louisiana and Minnesota measured against the dedication of thousands of good cops displaying courage every day. While an uncourageous Congress sits silent.

This is my 35^th monthly letter to you about gun violence in America. The 35^th letter since you and every one of your Senate Republican colleagues voted against expanded background checks – or any change whatsoever in gun legislation or responsible ownership – in the wake of Sandy Hook. Even though 90% of the American people wanted – and still want – action, you chose instead to serve the single organization that inserts six-figure “donations” to your campaign.   Even if those previous 34 letters have not changed your mind or course of (non-)action on this issue, they have served to remind both of us of your failure to act then, and your failure of leadership now.

In spite of your statements of supposed concern about the issue of gun violence in America, I continue to see no legislation being proposed by you. I have seen no instance of you utilizing your chairmanship of the Senate’s Select Committee on Intelligence to provide leadership to your Party and our country on this issue. No visible efforts being made by your Republican Party. If you choose to reject the President’s proposals on this issue, or Democratic politicians’ proposals, or proposals from the ad hoc bi-partisan group chaired by Republican Senator Susan Collins from Maine, that can be your choice. But just saying “no” to everything, while not offering up any of your own better solutions, is not an acceptable choice. That is a copout. Coping out is not what you were elected, and are paid handsomely, to do.

Once again turning tragedy into politics, your Party’s expected presidential candidate recently announced that he is now the “law and order candidate.” He reached all the way back to 1968 to adopt Richard Nixon’s and George Wallace’s campaign mantle. As it turned out, “Law and Order” did not solve anything in 1968. Nixon wound up a step away from impeachment for breaking the law himself, and Wallace was gunned down into permanent disability by yet another man with a gun. Bumper stickers do not solve problems, because you cannot have Law without Justice, and you cannot have Order without people feeling Safe in all forms.

Yes, I hear the same tiring slogans. The handwringing that “nothing can be done.” They say, “guns don’t kill people, people do.” No, people kill people with guns; guns are not inanimate objects when in people’s hands. “The 2^nd Amendment guarantees my right to own a gun.” Yes, A gun, but not Any gun. That right is preceded by “A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state …”; we have such a militia in every state. That wording also explicitly allows us to REGULATE those guns.

We live in different times now. In 1790, a single-shot musket took perhaps 30 seconds to reload one bullet, hardly the same as an automatic weapon today that needs only a fraction of a second to “reload” and spread its destruction far and wide. As has been said often, the only purpose for an automated assault weapon is to kill people. Many people. Quickly. That is important if you are a soldier. Not so when out hunting a defenseless deer. Dumping even more guns into the populace (as some propose) for “self defense” – like some modern-day version of Dodge City – is certainly no answer. I have no interest in having to wonder every day whether each of my granddaughters will make it home safely only if her teachers have a firearm strapped to their hip.

In the midst of this turmoil, your Congressional colleagues sit silent. This time it was House members who voted to do nothing. The only action that was taken? In the midst of a public suffering and crisis, Congress voted to adjourn and go home for seven weeks, apparently exhausted from their many long days of doing nothing. Maybe that was for the best. Just shut it down, and blatantly confirm what the public already knows: that Congress is completely unable, uninterested, and unworthy in fulfilling its duty to protect and improve the lives of the citizenry. So it is time for you and your colleagues to just get out of the way. Either quit the job or be voted out. Step aside for new people – un-beholden to the gun industry – who have ideas and the energy to help find real solutions.

A package of multiple ideas is needed because that is what it will take to make a difference on this issue. Ideas that look at all aspects of this pervasive violence: the source of the violence; the tools of the violence; the perpetrators of the violence; the punishments for the violence; the glorification of the violence that encourages other perpetrators. Those who think “sending prayers” is enough of a response insult those fathers, mothers, siblings, spouses, and children who have suffered such great losses. They deserve better than you seem to have the capacity to give.

If you have nothing to offer, get out of the chair. I will vote NO to your reelection bid in November. Hopefully many others will do likewise. Three more letters still to go.

“Man who says it cannot be done should not interrupt man doing it.”     (Chinese proverb)

Sincerely, Randy Bell

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© 2016   Randy Bell                 www.ThoughtsFromTheMountain.blogspot.com