Gun Disease

The tragic incident in Nickel Mines, Pennsylvania, in which Amish schoolgirls were murdered illustrates once again the sick state of mind of those who believe guns are the answer to all of life's problems. The NRA, for one, promotes the view that gun ownership guarantees personal freedom, that shooting a gun is an exalting, even a liberating experience. But, is it really? And, at what cost?

If you own a gun you likewise own the responsibility attached thereto. This means a crushing burden of civil liability if you accidentally shoot someone. This means a crushing burden of civil liability if you sell your gun to someone who then uses it in the commission of a criminal act. If you sell a used handgun or rifle to a friend or neighbor at a yard sale, or to a stranger at a gun show, then you are potentially liable for whatever acts that person commits with it (and your homeowner's liability insurance probably won't cover this). You risk bankruptcy and possible loss of your house. Your family may end up homeless.

The Second Amendment guarantees the right to bear arms -- in the context of a "well-regulated militia." But, it does not shield anyone from the responsibilities of possessing and selling those arms.

Charles Roberts, the shooter in Nickel Mines, acquired his numerous firearms and ammunition -- where? The shops and/or persons who sold him the guns and ammo bear a good part of the responsibility for the murders. That responsibility will weigh heavily on them in coming times . . .

There are powerful forces protecting the interests of the Amish in Pennsylvania. During the Vietnam War, while Jehova's Witnesses were being imprisoned for refusing to be drafted into the armed services, the similarly pacifistic Amish were not subject to government sanction. And, even now, Pennsylvania State Troopers take a special interest in the Amish, at times acting as a police force on their behalf. The Troopers have made no secret of their displeasure at the many gun shops in the vicinity of the Nickel Mines shooting. The gun shops that might have sold guns and ammunition to a murderous madman. The gun shops that will, no doubt, be subject to close scrutiny for building and zoning law violations, as well as civil lawsuits filed on behalf of the victims. The gun shops that will be forced out of business and whose owners will face dishonor, disgrace, and bankruptcy.

Gun owner, beware. This same fate might well await you.