[Dialogue] more on guns

[jlepps at pc.jaring.my]

Colleagues

I'd like to add one more note to this lively dialogue (which I hope 
continues, and perhaps even begins to focus).

It's obviously the case that a change of heart is required in this 
situation. The question becomes how to make that happen, and I'm 
reminded of Martin Luther Kings's response to us WASPS who were 
opposing desegregation because "we need to have hearts change to 
support integration." To paraphrase him, "Laws can't make you love 
me, but they may prevent you from killing me." Strict gun control may 
be that kind of law. And, IMHO, whatever will prevent this sort of 
mass murder is worth doing. Also I've noticed that hearts are 
remarkably adaptable to their external situation.

In terms of luring the tiger, the question now that she's out of her 
lair (sorry Cynthia), what do we do: well perhaps something initial 
like forbidding the sale of assault weapons and mass magazines. That 
might be able to get some support from tigers. After all, we endure 
considerable inconvenience to insure safety on airplanes,, so perhaps 
the inconvenience of forbidding access to these instruments of mass 
destruction might be a possible first step.

I don't believe we'll be able to change tigers into lambs, but maybe 
we can help de-fang them!

John