Following 11 mass shootings so far in 2016, conversations regarding gun rights and gun safety have been heating up. On July 1, six new gun control laws were enacted in California limiting magazine capacity and requiring background checks for the purchasing of ammunition. This past week, a Facebook friend who I’ve known 36 year engaged in a social psychological experiment, posting a video of a “debate” on gun control at Fox News in which Stacey Dash said Hollywood hypocrites want to pass more gun control laws to make it harder for “good guys” to buy guns (Stacey Dash http://bit.ly/28YfUJc). Rubbing his hands together, my FB friend declared his eager anticipation over who would comment on his post. Here’s a little of the conversation that unfolded, with my commentary, the majority of which is verbatim from the FB threads I participated in. (All names have been removed to protect the innocent, and misspellings are not corrected, to expose the guilty).
"‘Bad guys don't obey laws. So why pass more laws? You're only stopping good guys from getting guns.’ Wow, very well said.”
Commentary: Agrees with Stacey Dash 100%, likely a loyal Fox News, and only Fox News, viewer. The only time a “debate” is fair and balanced on Fox is when Jon Stewart shows up. Scratch that—it's not fair, because Stewart mops the floor with everyone, including members of the left. Now, that’s balanced.
“We have to remember why it's our second amendment and not further down the list on the constitution. There's a reason our four fathers did this. They were wise men…if we lose our second amendment it won't be good for America as a whole.”
Commentary: The forefathers were also rich, white men, many of whom owned human beings as their property, but I digress. Nobody but Trump, the NRA, and Fox are saying anyone, including Socialist Democrat Bernie Sanders, are out to abolish the Second Amendment. That's the crazy train, and fear mongering. But stoking folks’ fears about the black copters coming for their guns really works.
“Guns do not kill people, people kill people. Guns are tools, just like anything else. There is no tool or object that exists that can't kill a person if used properly.”
Commentary: A gun is a weapon, like any other weapon. A weapon's purpose and design differs from a lot of tools, in that its primary function is to maim and kill. When it is named a simple tool, it is rendered ordinary, innocuous, and labeled “harmless”. Words, labels and actions carry consequences. And, it seems that if we were just using our tools properly, we could apply our spatulas and air freshener to permanently eliminate the noise pollution and odors caused by our neighbors, in our own version of “The Purge.”
“I got a gun. I will carry once the approval comes through. I will use it should I feel threatened. Based on the recent events and past years, I will carry.”
Commentary: 13 million people conceal and carry in the U.S., prepared for when someone sends bullets their way, “to send some back.” It's true that it is our right to own and carry a gun with proper approvals (and, hopefully training). Safety and security are important. However, consider that people “feel threatened” by a great many things and situations. If one promises to "use a gun" when perceiving a ‘threat’, the risk of escalation is huge. Should brandishing a loaded weapon be the response to a heated political disagreement in a bar, a dispute over a parking space at Walmart, or someone scoping out your partner in the produce section?
“I am not about feeling threatened because some ass decides to cut me off in traffic. Ok?”
Commentary: OK. It's just that people have shot and killed a sibling over a threat to eat their cheeseburger (May 2016 in Florida).
“I lived in TX for a few years and worked with the senators, reps, and judges of the state. 100% of them were packing 100% of the time. I guess I just got used to men carrying guns. It was shocking when I first moved there but after awhile it was commonplace.”
Commentary: Exactamente. I lived in Houston for 6 years. We can and do get habituated to guns, and carrying, because "everybody's doing it". When nothing shocks us after a while, including 11 mass shootings this year, we should consider what kinds of things we are getting "used to", and desensitized to. For example, Christy Sheats of Katy, TX described herself as a Baptist, a conservative, and a proponent of her 2nd amendment rights. She proclaimed her love for guns and desire to own them so she could protect her family. A week ago, Christy called a family meeting, and shot and killed her two daughters before being killed by police.
“You didn't mention the 300 million people in our country who lived a nice quiet happy existence while owning/possessing weapons yesterday. You focus on one bad story and tell us how broke our system is... well 300 million american who lived their safe happy existence yesterday didn't think things were too broke.”
Commentary: In one FB post, Christy Sheats wrote "it would be horribly tragic if my ability to protect myself or my family were to be taken away, but that's exactly what Democrats are determined to do by banning semi-automatic handguns." Discuss irony. I don’t talk about the 300 million happy, quiet and safe Americans because I aim for accuracy. A minority of Americans are gun owners, and possess some 370 million guns. And having guns does not equate to happiness and security. Sometimes the "nice and quiet" is quiet desperation. Domestic violence is a thing. Substance abuse is a thing. The “one bad story” of Christy Sheats is only one of the most recent. There will be other stories, but Christy probably also complained about "liberal media bias". And why fix anything if “things aren't too broke”?
In conclusion, the experiment was a surprising success. Nobody accused anyone of being an idiot or a “libtard”, and no one threatened to use their gun to teach someone “a hard lesson” just because they didn’t agree with him or her. The conversation was surprisingly respectful and constructive amongst folks with radically disparate views, opinions, and positions. When we endeavor to speak carefully and with a degree of critical thought on the contentious issues we face as a nation, an exchange of views is possible. Productive dialogue is crucial, especially nowadays, when meaningful and respectful debate is scarce in the media and on social networks. I didn’t make any new friends from this exchange, but several folks asked to private message to continue the exchange of views. I will continue to try my best to stay with my better angels, and resist the huge temptation to respond to certain FB posts in the following puerile, unhelpful manner: “The Second Amendment is #2. #2! That’s one down from #1. Like the USA! As if amendments are rank ordered according to importance. Elvis, and John Wayne, have left the building. Happy Fourth of July, everyone!" All too easy, and not helpful at all.
Kyle D. Killian, PhD is author of Interracial Couples, Intimacy & Therapy: Crossing Racial Borders (2013) from Columbia University Press, and co-editor of Time, Temporality and Violence in International Relations (2016) from Routledge.
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