I'm back for more abuse from the gun nuts

[wildeyed]

112. Gotta find some common ground first.

Been out trying to win some hearts and minds of some of my conservative, pro-gun friends with whom I share mutual respect. All two of them.... Anyway, we could agree that both sides were appalled by the loss of life and that better enforcement of existing laws and better education are an acceptable starting place for both sides.

They really, really feel that guns make them safer and that they have a god given right to own them. They really do not trust the government. We will not change those feelings with facts. The key, IMO, is to get the decent ones to focus on the immorality of such pointless loss of life and to persuade them to start holding their brethren accountable for irresponsible and erratic behavior around firearms. Just like people began holding friends accountable for drunk driving. We have all taken the keys away from a friend who was getting ready to make a bad decision, right?

I also chatted a bit with a ex-police officer. He said he had, in fact, charged adults who allowed a child access to unsecured firearms when the child injured or killed themselves or others, but the DAs generally didn't prosecute the crime. So that might be a place to start too. Enforce laws we actually have on the books. It's a start.