Learning about Gun Control From the Anti-Abortion Advocates

Today was supposed to be OneDayBlogSilence day, in honor of the memories of the 32 students and teachers killed at Virginia Tech two weeks ago. I didn't favor silence when it was announced, and I don't now. We don't talk enough about guns and mental illness in this country. So here's a suggestion. Democrats should go back at gun control, instead of cravenly avoiding any discussion of it to stay away from the wrath of the NRA. But they should go back at it the way the anti-abortion forces have fought against Roe v. Wade. One step at a time. Pick an extreme example, the way anti-abortion activists brought the late term abortion case to the Supreme Court. For gun control advocates there are at least two obvious ones. One is, don't let people with known mental illness, who are declared to be a danger to themselves and/or others, get guns. Period. This is controversial, not because the NRA opposes it--they don't--but because mental health advocates see it as an invasion of the privacy and rights of the mentally ill. Sorry, but nobody has an absolute right to a gun, just as nobody has an absolute right to a driver's license (or, in the case of gay couples, a marriage license).

The second example is an absolute no brainer; people on terrorist watch lists can buy guns. And they do. Why? Why is it I can't get on an airplane with a bottle of Prell, but terrorists can buy guns. This is the kind of crazy gun law that can be overcome.

Of course, it's only a start. Reinstating the assault weapons ban would be the next logical step. But at least it's something.