One of these days, I may go to a test event, try out a gun and come home unimpressed. But I’m not betting on it happening anytime soon.
You’re tired of hearing it, but we’re living in a time when things have never been better --from an overall product-quality standpoint.
If you’re into shooting, it’s a terrific time for high quality products. If you’re worried about regulations encroaching on the use of those products, it’s safe to say you’re torn between optimism and cynicism.
Unfortunately, the counterbalance is that we’re also at a point in our history where revisionists are trying to drive the firearms industry, and if necessary, gun owners, out of existence.
The feds brag about passing legislation encouraging development of more places on public land to shoot, then many of those same elected officials -almost in the same breath- call out for more rules and constraints on guns, ammunition and the rights to freely transport or commerce in them.
Screwy world, eh?
Fortunately, they have three things preventing them getting traction with the majority of Americans: trust, truth and transparency.
I’m not going to write much about trust and politicians. There’s not a lot of trust given them, because there’s very little shown in return. They seldom listen to what we want, but try and dictate how “the rest of us” should live, behave and think.
Personally, I don’t trust their judgement in these matters. Trust is not negotiable.
A truth that gives them problems is that we aren’t suffering from an epidemic of gun violence; we’re reaping the inevitable consequences of failing to attach consequences to behavior.
Life, unfortunately, isn’t like Gears or any of the other ultra-violent video games. No do-overs.
Like math, life is pretty much an absolute. If you do bad things, you should expect serious repercussions, not participation trophies.
Finally, there’s that transparency thing. We can’t trust anyone to be transparent when they’re incapable of giving a straight answer.
Recently, I read an interview with New Jersey’s Chris Christie and the self-described
“recovering politician” offered an inside glimpse into how politicians think:
“when we don’t answer a question, it’s (mostly) because we know the answer is something you won’t like. It’s that simple.”
-Chris Christie
It’s equally true that they’re especially reluctant to answer if/when the answer doesn’t “fit their chosen narrative” -they risk offending the people who keep them in office. And if you’re in office, you’re virtually immune to the laws that drive “the rest of us” nuts.
Ultimately, it’s their thirst for power that concerns me most. I don’t vote for people in order to grant them power. I vote for them because I’m entrusting them to be responsible stewards of the responsibilities of their office.
From that perspective, we’re not doing so well.
—Jim Shepherd
