NEWFANE — Another heartbreaking day in the United States of America. Another victory for the NRA and gun lobby.
More than 95 percent of Americans want background checks. More than 70 percent of Americans want an assault weapons ban.
But we have Mitch McConnell and Paul Ryan, who refuse to have legislation come to the floors of Congress. And we have Donald Trump who, if something were passed, promised the NRA that he wouldn't sign it.
There is always the big switch: you say “guns,” they say “mental health.”
“It's not that there are too many guns, there are too many sick people,” they say. Then they go on to do nothing about mental health, but they have relocated the cause so they don't have to see their own responsibility.
In Congress, they held a moment of silence for the victims of the latest shooting. They can't even see the irony of their continued silence, year in and year out, in a pattern of growing violence and tragedy.
Theodore White, in his seminal book In Search of History, points out that the credibility of leadership comes in the form of how well the people are protected from danger. He points out that Mao protected his followers from the Japanese during the war, but Chiang Kai-shek did not.
That difference made all of the difference. Part of the strategy behind terrorism is to create a situation in which leaders who govern can't protect their people from terror. That way, they can destabilize a country.
Here in America, the gun lobby has won, at least for now. Personally, I am disgusted. My suggestion: don't vote for anyone who is for the NRA and against the great majority of Americans.
Politicians, don't tell us that your thoughts and prayers go out to the victims. Save it. Just take quick and right action to protect our kids from harm.