Intelligencer Journal/Lancaster New Era

Golden Rule and gun laws

TO THE EDITORS:

Gun control -- it's such a catchy phrase. It makes people believe they can make a difference.

NRA -- it makes people want to throw up. Pure evil, some might say. Some love to hate this organization.

Assault weapons -- made for military and law enforcement. Pure killing machines. High capacity magazines. Horrendous, atrocious, the fuel to the machine.

Dialogue -- the solution to stop widespread mass murder.

These are not my opinions. This is what I have repeatedly heard by the massive TV media and certain opinions on social media since the tragedy in Connecticut.

These talking heads love to incriminate any person who has ever purchased or shot a firearm. But the devil is in the details.

The root cause of these heinous murders is not those that the liberal left want to solve or work on.

Do they think smaller magazines will deter a murderer due to the length of time to reload? Do they really think killers would carry a long rifle rather than a concealable weapon?

With the recent statistics from Chicago and Washington, D.C., which have extremely strict gun laws and some of this highest gun murder rates, why would the feds follow suit and ban certain firearms?

The root cause is indescribable. It all depends on your agenda.

Could it be insanity? Could it be mental health? Could it be movies? Could it be video games? Could it be a lack of religion? Could it be a breakdown of the family? Could it be that we just don't have the answers?

We treat the symptoms, but not the problem.

People are killed all the time by many things, many more times than by guns. But we aren't banning bedding that suffocates children. Nor are we banning doctors, alcohol, tobacco or cars.

My solution: personal responsibility. Self-worth. Nourishment. The Golden Rule. Security for our most vulnerable. Consistent and thorough background checks. Unprecedented punishment for illegal sales of firearms.

Lastly, but most importantly, personal protection for yourself and those you care for the most.

Taking my guns won't help you. Taking care of yourself and others near you will.

Jared Barninger

Columbia