Today’s most recent outrage involving guns reminds me of one
of the greatest ironies in contemporary American life: gun owners claim to be
the most patriotic citizens in our nation.
But nothing could be farther from the truth. Only loving one
of the Bill of Rights does not make you a patriot, it makes you a cynic - and
it makes you un-American.
Here’s why.
One, a functioning democracy is based on trust. Americans
trust their fellow citizens to collectively pick our leaders and decision
makers every two to four years.
But you have to trust you fellow Americans with that power and
authority.
Two, America is an act of faith. Faith in people’s better nature, faith in your fellow
citizens’ ability to choose good leaders, faith that if you work hard you will
get ahead no matter where you started.
More importantly, faith that the shared values enshrined in our
Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and our laws – as opposed to an Old World shared blood,
ethnicity or religion – and institutions will result in the kind of society where everyone’s rights are
protected and you can enjoy life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
Owning a gun conflicts with both trust and faith (let alone
life and happiness).
Gun owners do not trust their fellow citizens with their own
safety. They justify gun ownership, at least hand gun ownership, with the
paranoia that they could be attacked by their fellow citizens AT ANY TIME.
If you don’t trust someone with your day-to-day wellbeing
and safety, why would you trust them with the vote or any profound decision making?
On faith, gun owners have absolutely no faith in American society, ideals and institutions. In addition to needing a gun to protect themselves
from their neighbors, gun owners argue that they need protection from the
government or other large forces (usually the UN, not Exxon or Monsanto). Do they really have so little faith in
U.S. laws, courts, the press, citizens groups – let alone their elected officials –
that their only recourse is to arm themselves? Are they that cynical about our democratic institutions that
they think our elected officials or decision makers are capricious dictators - or kings or despots - who will eventually attack or arrest them?
Institutions like the police or military have often stumbled
in our republic’s history; ask any African or Native American. But in 21st century America
our institutions and democracy are strong, and can be trusted. That’s why gun
ownership should be limited to law enforcement and the military; that’s what a
mature democracy would look like.
Obviously, especially now with Obama, many right-wing nuts
who love guns more than Jesus – who was against violence in any form, by the
way – or money no longer think that we have a democracy or rights.
They have absolutely no faith or trust in America. Their cynicism toward their country is both sickening and too often deadly. And it is un-American.
