A plea for decency

“Have you no sense of decency, sir? Have you left no sense of decency?” – Senator Welch to Joe McCarthy during the McCarthy hearings

The above quote is something that goes through my mind a lot when discussing politics. It comes up when discussing immigration policy (can we remember we’re talking about people, please?), when discussing healthcare (again… people), and especially now when discussing gun control.

We have a powerful lobby in this country that is so invested in their ability to sell firearms with little to no regulation that they will resort to some truly despicable depths. Claiming to fear for your life when leaving a conference of children who actually survived a massacre? Insisting that the underpaid teachers of America — who frequently have to crowdfund in order to purchase books for their students — come to school with firearms? Blaming the FBI? Worrying about what happens to your guns after 17 children were mowed down by an AR-15? Focusing on semantics like the exact definition of every type of gun rather than the main point: that such easy access to guns kills people?

And then claiming those children who survived a massacre were crisis actors?

Have you left no sense of decency?

There are facts and figures to prove that stricter gun control leads to less mass shootings. Other nations have done it with great success. The police officers near the school were afraid to go in because the shooter had an AR-15 and they only had handguns, so logic dictates that we either a) give police officers AR-15s or b) take away AR-15s. Arming teachers with revolvers when trained police officers fear for their lives is nonsense. The kid with the AR-15 is not scared of the handgun.

But, you know, I don’t want to talk about facts and figures with someone who still insists that gun control isn’t a viable option at this point. I don’t want to explain the logic behind seeking some sort of reasonable action to make sure this doesn’t happen again. There is no logic or reason behind crisis actors, self-vicitimization, and arming teachers. None.

I ask that you remember we are talking about people’s lives. It shouldn’t have been so easy for Cruz to get a gun. We should never see a teenager be able to walk in and grab a firearm. And there must be a waiting period without any gun show loopholes. Surely you can agree with that?

And if your answer is still no…

Caitlin Cohen

Caitlin Cohen graduated from Boston University with a degree in History. She has written for DeadState for three and a half years. She technically speaks French. She lives in Los Angeles with her boyfriend and has big plans to one day get a dog.