In the aftermath....

...of Friday’s devastation, I took a look at the NRA website. Just out of curiosity.  I wondered if they were going to offer some responsible, thoughtful words. Maybe something on the order of, “yes, we’re in favor of guns, but we’re also in favor of laws that make sure they are used in a responsible way.” Maybe something like, “we, too, are outraged that someone has once again used guns to commit an unthinkable, indefensible act.” Maybe something like,” this is not what we’re about.”

Dream on. No mention of Newtown. The most recent posting was dated 11/27/12 and was headlined, “More Guns, Less Crime in VA,” It concluded with these words: “...gun owners and the NRA have been right all along. It’s the criminals, not the law-abiding gun owners, who are the issue.” 

Why aren’t the NRA and all those “law-abiding guns owners” condemning this horrific mis-use of guns? Why aren’t they standing up and shouting, “This is not what we stand for.” Why aren’t THEY calling for some control of lethal weapons that have no use in hunting and no possible purpose but killing people quickly in large numbers? 

The answer is that this IS what they stand for. Guns available to one and all as a right. We and our children and the 6- and 7-year olds and their teachers in Newtown and all the other victims--those whose names are burned into our memories, those we’ve never heard of, and those of us whose world has been diminished by the losses--all the rest of us--we’re all just collateral damage.