gun violence in north america

i'm going to say it up front: i'm a pacifist. i do not own a firearm. i am a foreigner in gun culture.

so of course i have a solution to the problem of gun violence.

the thing about societies with a high degree of income inequality and education inequality is that there's an increase in violence of all kinds as well as an increase of crime in general and a decrease in trust and security.

where there are a lot of poor people with few prospects and little hope, there's a lot of risk.

i want to live in a safe crime free neighborhood.

you probably do, too.

so let's work on the real causes of gun violence, ok? let's do something about illiteracy, ignorance, poverty and general lack of manners.

the second amendment is important. i don't trust this or any other government to preserve my civil rights. recent history demonstrates all too clearly how much government isn't really interested in civil rights, so without that right to bear arms, we're all at risk.

so all you gun nuts, go out and practice. know your safety rules and go to the range and make sure you understand your weapons and make sure you're a good shot. thank you for exercising my second amendment rights.

no, i don't think you all need fully automatic weapons for hunting, and i don't approve of drawing weapons as anything but a last resort.

i maybe wouldn't draw a weapon even as a last resort, but that's my privilege to make a principled stand.

pacifism and belief in second amendment rights do not rest easily together, but they balance each other thoughtfully and carefully in a world with real challenges and real dangers.

so you militiamen, you go out and do your thing. i'll sit out here and work on the lefty progressive politics.

i hope we'll meet in the middle, all of our civil rights intact.