The World Around You

Interesting that I had another twitter debate yesterday and it was related to the very issue of guns. My point in that debate was that we too often get sucked into the discussion about the meaning of the 2nd amendment instead of discussing what is sensible and reasonable gun policy. Every time a gun rights advocate is losing a debate on policy grounds, he cries “2nd amendment!” and then we end up in the same old back and forth about muskets versus assault rifles and the right to a militia versus the right for my neighbor to have an arsenal.

I hope that we can all agree that 28 accidental gun deaths, 399 suicides by gun and 373 homicides in Alabama are too many. Gun control advocates need to be a little more sensitive about how they approach the issue and gun rights advocates need to be a little less fearful that anyone is trying to take away their guns. There is a responsibility that comes with gun ownership and the reality is that more guns results in more opportunity for bad things to happen. If we can recognize those facts and discuss sensible ways to lower the risk of having the number of guns we have in this culture, then I think we can do better.

Alabama second in gun deaths – Breaking News from The Birmingham News – al.com.

This is the kind of incident that I think of when some people say everyone should own a gun for their own protection…

An argument between Paul Norman Jones, 80, and his neighbors quickly got out of hand–reportedly due to a long standing dispute over a wooden fence.

“The fence has been here as long as we’ve been here, and [Jones] just bought that house 2 years ago and insisted that [his neighbor's] fence was on his property line,” explained Paula James of Wetumpka.

What happened next shocked the city.

Jones reportedly opened fire on his neighbors, Gerald and Linda Ingram. Witnesses say Frank Barrett, 85, intervened at some point during the argument.

And yes Mr. Barrett died…what a tragic loss over a fence.

One dead, two injured after neighborhood shooting – WSFA 12 News Montgomery, AL |.