More thoughts on guns and rights

I've heard guns compared to cars. You know, guns don't kill people. Just like cars don't kill people. The drivers do.

Here's a thought for you.

Cars, and drivers, are well-regulated. They must meet certain safety standards. Both the cars AND the drivers. Drivers need to take a class on the rules of the road and basic safety in order to obtain a license to drive. Yes, a LICENSE. And... they have to prove themselves competent every 4 years to continue to drive a car.

Cars must meet safety standards. In order to be driven on public roads, cars have to maintain a certain level of safety, fuel efficiency, air quality. They must have safety belts. Whereas guns are not required to have a safety on the trigger.

You need a license to drive. To fish. To hunt. All of these things are regulated - fish of certain size must be thrown back. You can only kill a certain number of animals and some animals are protected. When you obtain a license to do any of these things, you agree to these regulations.

Why then do we allow anyone to obtain a weapon, many times without undergoing a background check, without requiring safety and training courses on a recurring basis, without ensuring that the weapons meet basic safety standards?

Ordinary people can't drive military vehicles like tanks on the road. Why should ordinary people be allowed to own military grade weaponry?

Why do we refuse to recognize that the rest of the free world has regulations in place and is much safer for it? Like the healthcare debate, we are so sure that our way is best. That the rest of the world should learn from us rather than taking the opportunity to learn from the successes of the rest of the world.

And for those who cry "But the Constitution!! It's my RIGHT!" would do well to remember a couple things. First, that the 2nd amendment calls for a well regulated militia. Well. Regulated. And second, that we have an amendment process for a reason. Our founding fathers knew that things would change, as society always does. They built in a process for making those changes.

Thomas Jefferson acknowledged that he never expected the Constitution to remain inflexible and unchanged:

"I am not an advocate for frequent changes in laws and constitutions. But laws and institutions must go hand in hand with the progress of the human mind. As that becomes more developed, more enlightened, as new discoveries are made, new truths discovered and manners and opinions change of circumstances, institutions must advance also to keep pace with the times. We might as well require a man to wear still the coat which fitted him when a boy as civilized society to remain ever under the regimen of their barbarous ancestors."

~Thomas Jefferson

Inscribed on the Jefferson Memorial. (emphasis mine)

click to enlarge

Americans are arrogant, plain and simple. We are at a point where we refuse to acknowledge that we could learn from others'; mistakes. We are still a very young country compared to countries in Europe and Asia. We have a lot to learn. It's time that we become more flexible and take in the wisdom of those around us.