Editor,
I am writing in regards to the political cartoon in the Sept. 18 issue of the Daily Lobo. The cartoon featured a suited Democrat Donkey telling a man entering the Washington Navy Yard with a gun to ‘Halt! Or I’ll pass more laws!’ On the fence of the Navy Yard hangs a sign stating ‘No Guns, it’s the law.’
I won’t feign shock and anger at the short time it took for the tragedy at the Navy Yard to be politicized, but I will say I was surprised at how stupid the idea of the cartoon was, even by the standards of the Right.
Is the author of the strip trying to say that the government’s effort to enact laws to reduce shootings is foolish and won’t work? Or that the Democrats’ approach to the enacted laws is foolish? Or that it was foolish in the first place to outlaw guns at a federal installation?
While there is no fix-all law that will prevent future massacres in the United States, does that make it pointless to try?
Certainly some discussion could be made on the subject if the GOP didn’t obstinately drag their feet on the issue of guns in all ways. The GOP will always say in the wake of a massacre that ‘during this time of emotion/sorrow/tragedy, it is not the time to bring politics to the table.’ I suppose I can understand that, but when is the time?
And while the cartoon purports to belittle the passing of laws to end violent bloodshed, it certainly does not mean that portions of the GOP aren’t already looking to pass new laws with regard to stopping gun massacres. The newest Fox News mouthpiece and ‘pundit’ Elisabeth Hasselbeck has already aired her view that the country doesn’t need a national registry for guns, though it needs one to track video game purchases.
That is considered a valid antidote to gun massacres in the U.S. by the Right? To legislate the end of the brutal slayings of its citizens via the regulation of video games? Who is this Elisabeth Hasselbeck to offer up such a ridiculous answer to a question that so needs a sensible answer? Oh, that’s right: She was the one hostess on The View that could make Joy Behar seem erudite and intelligent. She also made her way on to the television scene via Survivor, a reality show about people on an island. Perhaps we should round up Gilligan and the Skipper and glean what insight we can from their points of view as well.
So it strikes me as funny, in the saddest way, that while the GOP will not work toward legislation regarding guns in the USA, or they’ll remove the teeth of any laws relating to guns, their solution might be to legislate regarding video games. They are always ready to stand up for the rights of the responsible gun owner, yet they do not extend that same courtesy and righteous indignation for responsible video game players?
It seems their stand-up act for responsible people in America only extends to gun owners and no others. Apparently your right to own a gun, or the money from the gun lobby and NRA, is more valid than the rights of video game aficionados.
In a perfect world there would never be a good time to speak about what to do about a shooting because there would be no shootings. Sadly, there are gun massacres in America, and at some point the GOP will have to drag the carcass of their intractable party to the table to get to looking at a solution. A solution that may prevent future scenarios in which the citizens of the nation they want to lead are gunned down while at work or school.
Believe me, I support the rights of gun owners; I am one. But I also support the right of free American citizens to go about their lives without the risk of being slaughtered by another maniac who had access to guns.
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So while the GOP can work tirelessly as the faux defenders of the rights of Americans, or at least American gun owners, will they think twice when it comes to ripping the rights away from other citizens in regards to video games? This tired old party will take games, books, movies, art and music away before they’ll discuss guns.
Freedom-loving leaders? Wake me when a maniac kills dozens with a copy of Grand Theft Auto V. These phony fascists are not above taking things out of the hands of Americans, it just won’t be guns.
As for me, you can have the controller to my Xbox when you can pry it from my cold, dead hands.
Jason Stafford
UNM student
