by Tom Shafer
March 23, 2021
I’m angry.
Again.
But I’m going to minimize my rant, and instead steer you toward my other writings about gun violence, categorized under my “Not Politics?!” tab. Unfortunately, given this country’s propensity for unashamedly allowing its citizens to kill one another – or at least making it easy for them to do so – I’ll have many more opportunities to deal with this topic.
I have travelled the back roads of these United States extensively throughout my sixty years here on the planet, more so than anyone else I know. During my journeys, I’ve been blessed to experience the hospitality of many, many towns, cities, and villages, from coast to coast, border to border. And of all of these places I have visited, Boulder is one that has been permanently entrenched in my top five for well over thirty years. I’m sure those of you who have visited it are nodding in the affirmative as you read this.
Boulder is a hip, funky, artsy Western college town perched in the upper foothills of Colorado’s Rocky Mountains. It is surrounded by beautiful scenery, sparkling mountain streams, and evergreen trees for as far as the eye can see. Its people are a diverse cross section typical of many Western towns: white-collared professionals, like those who work at the University of Colorado or in the many aerospace and atmospheric research sectors; and blue-collared workers, like those from the manufacturing and forestry industries. The downtown area is populated with numerous art galleries, cute cafes and restaurants, quaint boutiques and craft stores. The notably famous (and fun!) Pearl Street is an outdoor street mall that incorporates all of these elements.
But now, Boulder is a delegate to a not-so-exclusive (but exclusively) American club, one whose members wish they weren’t – like Parkland. Sutherland Springs. Las Vegas. Orlando. San Bernardino. Newtown. Neighboring Aurora. And my hometown of Dayton.
I hate to think that from now on when the name Boulder is uttered, people will remember the violence first, and not the wonderful and welcoming community that I have come to love.
Of course, I want to say so much more (things I’ve written too many times already), but I’ll leave you with a couple of requests and questions.
First, I want people to stop invoking our Founding Fathers at times like these, claiming that they would still be supporting unlimitedly our 2nd amendment rights. These people have obviously not read extensively the writings of our Founders (as I have). Our Founders were humanists first, and certainly could never have imagined a world (and leaders) that would allow weapons of war to be broadly and easily distributed to the masses.
Second, I implore our leaders to stop playing politics with this issue and legislate sensible gun control regulations: extended background checks; closing gun show loopholes; reconstituting bans on high-capacity magazines. Yes, I want to ban assault weapons as well, but with these babies masquerading as House members and Senators, you must take baby steps.
I have but two questions.
Why do Republican legislators love the Second Amendment (an amendment!) more than the Preamble to the Constitution or the Preamble to the Declaration of Independence?
And, why do Republican legislators love guns more than people?
I know the answers to these questions already. I think you do too.
