Tech designer, entrepreneur, and dad Ryan Freitas' firsthand experience with gun violence feels really powerful. It's direct, reasonable, and, hopefully, persuasive for those who might feel that there is nothing to do or nothing to be done about gun regulation and gun violence in the US. For his complete account and perspective, follow his twitter feed:
Two years ago last night, a young man came up to me and put a .38 snub nose revolver in my face.
— Ryan Freitas (@ryanchris) December 16, 2012
I survived my encounter with my assailant. There was no violence. There were no illusions that had I been armed, I could have overcome him.
— Ryan Freitas (@ryanchris) December 16, 2012
My own feelings about guns are immaterial. What I do know is that we as a country have a problem. And there are no clear solutions.
— Ryan Freitas (@ryanchris) December 16, 2012
With a gun in my face, I knew I had to live. My wife's first ultrasound was scheduled for the next day.
— Ryan Freitas (@ryanchris) December 16, 2012
I heard my son's heartbeat for the first time the day after someone threatened to silence mine.
— Ryan Freitas (@ryanchris) December 16, 2012
For the sake of every parent that has lost a child. For every family that has lost someone to gun violence. Some kind of compromise is due.
— Ryan Freitas (@ryanchris) December 16, 2012
So let's step back from the extremes and find something that everyone can live with. Because what we've got isn't working.
— Ryan Freitas (@ryanchris) December 16, 2012
"Some kind of compromise is due."
Why is "let good people be armed so they can deter/stop violence when & where it starts" always rejected by the Left? If what the Right considers the best option is always rejected without discussion, how can a compromise be reached? I have to protect my kids; if you seek to punish me for having tools to do so, I count you among my enemies, for I cannot see any other reason why you would actively render my family defenseless.
the deterrence/stop violence utility you imagine for a gun is just that: imaginary, as is the idea that there are people--citizens and neighbors in your and my country--whose goal is to "actively render [your] family defenseless."
also imaginary is the claim that there has been a debate or active rejection of the use of guns in this way. It has been the status quo since the NRA has silenced and steamrolled any and all research or political discussion over the last two+ decades.
Not that you, whoever you are, are responsible for the NRA's entire history of legislative bullying, but I'll say that nothing shuts down a discussion quicker than a guy with a stockpile of guns immediately branding someone who might disagree with him an "enemy."
It might be more useful to recognize that we, in this case, we as dads, agree and share a sense of responsibility to protect our families. That we want to do whatever we can, to protect them from harm, and to raise them in a society where they're free from fear and the threat of violence. I'm sure there's more we'd have in common, but this is a start.
Then maybe we can talk about why background checks or licensing are considered "punishment" but drivers licenses aren't. Or what to do about "good people" pulling a gun on their kid because she got a B on her report card. Or shooting themselves when they feel hopeless.
In a country, and a community, where we all live under and have say in the laws, we should be able to consider both our own rights & needs, our own families and positions, but also those of others.