What About Newtown?

Over the past forty five years of travelling to the United States, I have found that there are two topics which one raises with locals only with extreme care, namely religion and gun laws. But it’s Christmas time, so this week I’m writing about guns; next week, I’ll take my chances on the power of religious interests.

One year ago in Newtown, Connecticut, there was an appalling outrage when more than twenty young children were murdered. The outcry both locally and in the United States was predictable. “How could this be allowed to happen?” was the question asked often by parents and relations as their grief was televised to the American public. It took only two days for the National Rifle Association to wade in with their solution: arm the teachers!

I have grown up in a country where arming police is a rarity. Citizens have no right to arm themselves. Indeed, it is a crime to do so except in specific situations, such as being a member of a shooting club. At large, the western world does not arm its police except in rare circumstances. As a result, are murders rife in the west? America is the murder capital of the west by a country mile. Here in the UK we are not exempt from murderous outrages but they are few and far between. However, shootings like those in Connecticut have been the norm in the US during 2013, albeit not on quite the same scale. Every month, one reads of yet another outrage.

I believe one of the real difficulties is that many Americans have a love affair with guns. I know several Americans who live in peaceful states, yet have an arsenal at their disposal in their homes. Added to this, American television is rife with violence. At all times of the day and night, you can watch people killing one another using handguns and shotguns. Indeed, one might suggest that being armed is the default American position.

Since Newtown, there has been no real debate about guns. There was a half-hearted effort by Congress to tighten up the period of time and other rules before a gun might be sold. Senate Republicans threatened to filibuster the legislation and that was that. No change. It is not surprising the members of Congress don’t want to alter the feeble gun laws. A phenomenal percentage of legislators are supported by the NRA and the latter are not shy about telling those they sponsor that not only will that sponsorship be withdrawn but the NRA will support a rival candidate.

What confuses me is that Americans really believe that they have a Constitutional right to be armed. On any sensible reading of the Second Amendment, the argument cannot hold water. The Amendment is specific; weapons may be held by people who are forming a militia. The Supreme Court in its lack of wisdom has interpreted the Amendment in a way that is contrary to common sense. I suppose with lawyers, it was ever thus.

Those who know me understand how much I love my American trips. My wife and I have friends and relations in many states. A majority of the people with whom we associate do not want to see the public weaponised. For them, it is sufficient for the police and the armed forces to be armed.

What is certain is that there is no political will to have America’s gun laws changed. I find it sad that safety is not an issue for the American public when it comes to guns but it is paramount on manufactured goods. Arguably, I am out of touch with ordinary Americans on the right to bear arms. Somehow, I don’t think I am and for sure, the people of Newtown are with me.