Its Long Past Time

I’m not sure I’ve ever posted anything on LinkedIn for purposes other than business. If anything, I’ve been critical of those who waste this space for posting their social views. In this unique case, however, I trust the LinkedIn audience to be more influential than Facebook’s. Please share this with everyone in your LinkedIn network.  I’m not looking for anyone to respond to me. I am asking that just someone Listen; everyone LISTEN.

Our country is screaming in unimaginable agony, pleading with us to do something. Yesterday, we witnessed yet another senseless mass shooting, claiming the lives of 19 elementary school children and 2 teachers. And from reports I hear; the shooter allegedly shot his grandmother too.

How many times do we have to watch our leaders order flags to fly at half-mast?  How many expressions of condolences is enough? At how many press conferences must we hear our elected officials speak of these “unfathomable, heinous assaults on our friends, neighbors, families, fathers, mothers, sisters, brothers, and grandparents.”

Folks, the United States is dealing with a cancer the likes of which we’ve never seen. We’re not only losing lives. We are losing hope to despair. We’re losing trust to political infighting and inaction. We’re losing accountability to irresponsibility and lowered expectations.  We’re losing advocacy to selfishness.

Are we so selfish that we can’t get upstream to preempt the problems that are causing us so much pain downstream?

Perhaps that simple adage can be applied here. Stupidity (or insert your favorite word) is trying the same thing over and over and expecting different results. In this case, what we’re doing over and over again, is….NOTHING. And we’re getting nothing for results. 

This cancer transcends politics in every way. Constructive measures and compromise must be found. I believe Americans can make anything happen and get results.  But so far, the answers fall in the abyss of party lines. Lawmakers, unclench your fists and address this cancer with open and collaborative hands. Stop arguing the same positions that lead to nothing. You got into politics to serve the people. Well start serving the people.

Pass laws that make anyone complicit when a gun they own or a gun they buy their children is used to perpetrate a crime. And PLEASE, ban the use of AR-15 style rifles. Just look at the weapons used to perpetrate mass shootings. I hear the NRA lobby now. Come on, just compromise for the greater good, not yours.

Modify HIPAA laws that make it mandatory for mental health professionals to report a patient to a national data base when they exhibit the intent to threaten, harm, or kill someone.

I’m not against guns. We have a right to own one. But create a national law that requires a 30-day waiting period to buy it. And during that waiting period, require the purchasers name to be scanned into that same database, ensuring they meet the criteria for gun ownership. That means establishing criteria.     

Toughen laws that rescinds certain individual’s rights to own a gun; a convicted felon, someone who has used a gun in the commission of a crime, someone who is on the mental health watch list.

I’m sure lawyers, lawmakers, and our heavily politicized judiciary will line up to resist such efforts. They will site our Constitutional rights. Well, that document was written 235 years ago when the threat to Americans was governments and armies other than our own. Amend the Constitution to address these issues. And when doing so, leave your pork barrels at home. 

Uvalde, Buffalo. Oxford, Indianapolis, Boulder, Atlanta, Milwaukee, Dayton, Virginia Beach, Aurora, Thousand Oaks, Pittsburg, Parkland, Sutherland Springs, Las Vegas, Orlando, Roseburg, Charleston, Washington, and Newtown. We must stop adding communities to this list.  IT’S TIME we address the decease. This country is very ill. 

And while you’re at it, install term limits. Career politicians serve only their own interests. It is so obvious. Let’s rotate lawmakers so we always have fresh, inspired, bright new thinkers in the mix; who understand they have a limited amount of time to get things done to serve their constituents.