In Wisconsin, it seems like the fabled "Three G's" of conservative campaign strategy have become "Guns, Guns and Guns."
For as much as I criticize them, I must admit that Wisconsin's Republican legislators — upon determining which issues are important to their constituency — commit themselves entirely to their cause. Unfortunately, these lawmakers have simply mistaken which issues are important.
While Wisconsinites are waiting for their government to address many serious problems, state legislators are under the impression that the only thing Wisconsinites care about is guns.
In the latest battle of an ongoing war at the state Capitol, Wisconsin's Republican-controlled Legislature recently tried — and failed — to override Gov. Jim Doyle's veto of a bill that would have allowed the concealed carrying of guns. And, if these lawmakers weren't wasting enough taxpayer money in their time-consuming devotion to concealed-carry, they have also been pushing legislation that would permit eight-year-olds the right to carry a rifle.
Although the Wisconsin state Legislature's obsession with guns is preventing progress on matters of importance, the predicament is only one example of a dangerous trend in American gun law.
Few people disagree that the National Rifle Association is Washington's most powerful lobbying force. In the past, however, the brute power of this organization had always been kept at least somewhat in check by opponents within government. Recently, though, the NRA has had the fortune of seeing its sympathizers fill both houses of the U.S. Congress as well as the White House. There likely isn't a scarier indication of the direction of gun laws than President Bush's failure last fall to renew the Assault Weapons Ban — a ban won at great personal expense to many legislators. To the pragmatist, it would seem legal assault weapons are the last thing government should be providing to a country plagued by gun violence.
The United States does not fare well concerning frequency of gun deaths when compared to other industrialized countries. According to The Brady Campaign to End Gun Violence, 2001 saw 11,348 American gun homicides as opposed to six gun homicides in New Zealand, 56 in Japan, 96 in Great Britain and 168 in Canada. To counter those who argue in favor of gun rights as a necessity for self-defense, a report by the United Nations Children Fund shows that guns kept in the home are 43 times more likely to kill a family member or friend than to kill in self-defense. Given these shocking statistics, why is America's party of the "moral majority" working so vigorously to push such immoral legislation? Perhaps what is most disturbing is the hypocrisy offered up in pro-gun rhetoric.
Because I don't expect to see a U.S. ban on guns in my lifetime, I am going to propose an alternative plan to lawmakers: continue to repeat your Second Amendment rhetoric, but do so only if you are prepared to allow citizens the right to own any type of weaponry currently produced, including military-grade explosives, grenades, etc.
The Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution reads: "A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed." I sincerely doubt the founding fathers anticipated the development of nuclear weapons when they guaranteed a broad right to own "arms." Further, much of the original validation for the Second Amendment has vanished in time. At least, not too many of my friends are worried that Queen Elizabeth is presently planning to invade Madison.
In accordance with the gun lobby's own arguments, every American should be able to drive over to Wal-Mart and purchase a grenade launcher. Hiding behind the "right to bear arms," so that assault weapons may be permitted, but simultaneously opposing a U.S. citizen's right to own a bomb is to hold contradicting opinions. Pro-gun legislators cannot be taken seriously until they admit that, by their logic, they must favor the legal sale of any weaponry.
As much as I would love to see my plan adopted, I doubt it will happen anytime soon in Wisconsin. After all, the state Legislature will likely be busy for some time, pursuing their next logical step — securing the right of eight-year-olds to concealed-carry.
Rob Rossmeissl ([email protected]) is a junior majoring in journalism and political science.
