Not Without Smith & Wesson

The U.S. obviously has a problem with racism. Equally as problematic is the right Americans have to carry guns.

Walter Scott, African American, shot in the back by a white police officer; Michael Brown, African American, gunned down in the street by a white police officer; Trayvon Martin, African American, shot by a private security guard. All are victims of a racism that many Americans refuse to acknowledge exists, yet is always present. During a lull in the gunfire, President Obama strides across the bridge in Selma on which law enforcement officers beat black protesters down with clubs 50 years ago and speaks emotively about those who fought for equality back then. An equality that is being beaten down once again.

Just talking about racism, however, isn’t enough to stop the violence. America has a problem with racism that has to be brought out into the open. But the violent incidents expose another deep-seated problem in American society: Gun violence and the love of guns that lead to ever more shootings.

The right to keep and bear arms and the duty to protect one’s family and property are just as deeply ingrained in the American psyche as the hackneyed talk about the unlimited opportunities available in the land of the free. If the opportunities haven’t been as available as they once were and minorities are still largely excluded from advancement, they still have the unlimited opportunity to buy a gun. Even in states with relatively strict gun laws, a Saturday night special can be had for $100 or so. At gun shows, semi-automatic pistols are sold out of backpacks, no questions asked.

Aggression Rather than Discretion

In a society becoming increasingly fear-ridden, a gun has become the preferred answer to every danger whether it’s your neighbors, the Islamic State group or drug gangs. Some universities are considering loosening their gun rules to afford students more effective protection against sexual predators. Smith & Wesson as the true all-purpose panacea. It can come as no surprise that the police go for their guns first, as well.

Law officers should evaluate situations calmly and then react defensively. But depending on the state, many officers go on duty after just a few weeks of training. If they’re patrolling streets heavily armed where there are already 300 million guns in private hands, aggressiveness and insecurity are unavoidable.

However, it’s the same with guns as it is with religion, politics and money: You don’t talk about it. This widespread caveat no longer applies to liberals or intellectual circles on both coasts, but neither does discussing the problem in these elite circles do much to change everyday life on the streets. That can only be accomplished by far-reaching debate and political action, but Republicans are loath to go up against the power of the mighty National Rifle Association gun lobby that funnels money to conservatives at election time. The NRA has also succeeded for decades in convincing gun owners that any and every restriction placed on guns only increases the chances that the government will eventually confiscate the guns of all law-abiding citizens. No Republican would ever advocate more gun restrictions because in conservative areas that would be political suicide.

Regardless of how many school children die by gunfire, it’s always the shooter alone that’s blamed for the deaths, so why even bother talking about stricter gun laws just because the police shoot a few African Americans? That only riles up the gun lobby and the Republican base. Even the Democrats prefer to talk about the minimum wage, immigration and equality because that’s what gets votes in liberal precincts.

As long as American society continues to ignore its gun problem, it will have to live with innocent Americans continuing to die in the streets.