Don't forget gun control
While much of the public's attention these past few days has been on the issue of forced family separation at the U.S. southern border, and rightfully so, I want to just pitch a quick reminder for another topic of national concern that deserves to stay on the forefront of our consciousness: mass shootings.
As sad as it is for me to say, I think most would agree that it's just a matter of time before another mass shooting takes place somewhere in the U.S. In fact, just this past weekend there was a multiple casualty shooting in Trenton, NJ that got very little media attention, but nonetheless can be added to the ever-growing list of mass shootings.
We do need a bit more gun control in this country. Seeing what happened in Las Vegas, our lives depend on it. Seeing what happened in Parkland, Florida, our children's lives depend on it.
There must certainly be a balance between freedom on one hand and peace and order on the other. At this point in history, the delicate point in the middle must be recalibrated to an optimal position, where while freedom to protect oneself is still valued and respected, the expectation of peace and order is not merely a philosophical aspiration but instead a realistic expectation of society.
Government exists to make these determinations, in the interest of all the governed. Laws exist to reflect the needs and values of society, as society actually exists in reality.
My perception is that there are too many politicians beholden to the big money of special interests, which has overshadowed the interest and pleas of all the governed. And the conditions of society have clearly changed since Columbine in 1999, for which the laws must therefore adapt to meet society's ever-present need and goal of peace.