On A Diet of Violence

Dear President Obama

Like everyone with a human heart in which a spark of Divinity still burns I was shocked to the depths of my soul by the atrocious massacre that took place at the Sandy Hook school in Newtown Connecticut.

In the wake of the tragedy you gave a profound and moving speech showing leadership in a time of trouble. When you said that Americans aren’t doing enough to protect their children you touched the main nerve of a great nation reeling with a sense of helpless shock.

Your initial response was certainly appropriate with its emphasis on the need to strengthen gun control laws although the right to bear arms is deeply rooted in your country’s culture since the dawn of American independence. In the days of expansion into the Wild West guns were a necessary means of self-defense for isolated settlers against attacks by Indians tor bandits. And the right to bear arms is not just an American tradition but part of the Bill of Rights included in the right to self-defense. It’s true that wagon trains are a thing of the past and  reevaluation is clearly called for. But with all due respect Mr. President your promise to enact a new gun control law that will limit the sale of firearms to certain types of guns may assuage the public’s distraught feelings temporarily but for the long term it is like trying to treat a case of terminal cancer with aspirin.

First of all if the assault rifle used in the recent shooting spree is banned will that put a stop to the killing? Can’t a Colt .45 pistol also be used to murder people including innocent young children? As you obviously realize Mr. President it is hard to uproot a long-held American tradition all at once without examining the risk involved.