We need to stop saying these words now!
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of…” It’s cynical and hypocritical coming from the mouths of our politicians and community leaders who shrug their shoulders and say they can do nothing about the mass murders happening across our country.
If their thoughts and prayers were really with the families of the victims, they’d take steps to prevent more mass murders. But they don’t. They’d rather deny all responsibility with a meaningless phrase and bogus arguments like these.
Bogus argument #1: The gunman was mentally ill.
Each mass murder is followed by the NRA and their political puppets mouthing nonsense about the gunman being mentally ill. If the NRA and their enablers at all levels of government truly believed this was true, they would expand funding for mental health coverage and treatment. But they don’t.
Bogus argument #2: We’re protecting the 2nd Amendment
The 2nd Amendment says every citizen has the right to “bear arms”. It doesn’t say that every citizen has the right to own an assault rifle that kills 9 and wounds 25 people in less than a minute. It doesn’t say that we are prohibited from requiring waiting periods and background checks or banning some types of quasi-military rifles.
A recent survey showed 67% of Americans support banning assault rifles like those used in the recent mass murders. So it’s time to stop accepting the hypocrisy of every irresponsible politician and take action.
- Vote for candidates at every level of government who support laws that allow gun ownership while also protecting all of us. We need laws that require waiting periods and background checks. Federal and local law enforcement databases need to be connected to make the checks meaningful.
- End gerrymandering. Our country is gridlocked due to “safe” seats at all levels of government. This undemocratic practice hands victory to politicians of both major parties who are owned by special interests, like the NRA, which fund their election campaigns. These politicians don’t represent or respect what most voters want.
- Reform our campaign finance laws. We need a public registry identifying every donor who contributes a minimum $100 to any political party, PAC, or candidate in any election. If the donor is a business or special interest group, then we should know the names of their officers and largest shareholders/donors. We (the voters) have a right to know who is contributing to the campaigns of politicians who mouth hypocritical, cynical nothings while shrugging their shoulders and voting for loose gun laws that enable mass murders.
If we don’t act now, the next meaningless phrase could be mouthed to our families.
About Norma Shirk
My company, Corporate Compliance Risk Advisor, helps employers (with up to 50 employees) to create human resources policies and employee benefit programs that are appropriate to the employer’s size and budget. The goal is to help small companies grow by creating the necessary back office administrative structure while avoiding the dead weight of a bureaucracy. To read my musings on the wacky world of human resources, see HR Compliance Jungle (www.hrcompliancejungle.com) which alternates on Wednesday mornings with my history blog, History By Norma, (available at http://www.normashirk.com). To read my musings on a variety of topics, see my posts on Her Savvy (www.hersavvy.com).
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Susan Hammonds-White, EdD, LPC/MHSP
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