Let's say that there's an organization out there that really, really wants to protect people's rights to own guns. And let's say that, in its fervor to protect those rights, this organization continually turns to a common storyline, one that says sick people--not guns--are the problem.
The argument--people who maliciously kill other people are, indeed, unwell--no doubt makes sense even to those people who deplore guns. So, what would happen if we held this organization to its line of thinking?
It seems to me that we'd then have a starting point towards real change, regardless of our stance on guns.
If everyone could agree that, often, mental illness is a significant factor present in people doing horrific, violent things, then it follows that we could at least ask the gun industry to be willing to put some money into advocating for better mental health. After all, if we can "fix" the people who might do these things, then guns could lose at least some of their bad rap.
Address mental illness. Witness fewer gun deaths. Win, win.
Hey, it's a place to start. I mean, why wouldn't the organization be more than willing to put some dollars behind the claim? And not just a few dollars, but a whole bunch of them. Because, after all, they've got a whole bunch. According to CNN, these folks pulled in over $350 million in membership fees and contributions in 2013. Besides, their members and leaders must be tired of making the same old "bad people kill people" claim over and over and over again. Wouldn't it be nice if they could focus on other things? Spend more of their money elsewhere?
So--and, again, humor me--what if each of us--the gun lovers and the peaceniks and everyone in between--wrote to this organization and asked it to help improve the gun's reputation by addressing the sick people who are sullying that reputation? Suggest that it create a foundation to improve the mental health of the citizens of this country using, say, 5 percent of its annual intake (that'd be about $17.5 million, using 2013 figures)? And to keep putting that money into the cause every year thereafter.
You'd think a Constitution-loving, God-Bless-Americans kind of group would be happy to help make Americans happier, especially if it meant that this object of their affection wouldn't have to take so much heat.
Seems like a good place to start, if you ask me. . . .
Excellent idea Jane!! Excellent!!!
ReplyDelete