Bill Bratton on @todayshow implied that mass shootings are going to be new normal and we have to simply be prepared. Depressing
— Chuck Todd (@chucktodd) September 17, 2013
What have we done on guns? Imagine if, after 9/11, we considered and rejected laws tightening the screening of airline passengers at the federal level. Imagine if we specifically rejected efforts focused on keeping deadly weapons off flights. Imagine if some localities tried to tighten restrictions on the carrying of weapons by airline passengers, but the politicians advocating those measures were hounded into retirement by angry voters. Imagine if, for every locality that managed to pass such measures, there were a dozen that actually loosened restrictions on carrying weapons onto flights. Imagine if some localities actually tried to prevent enforcement of federal flight safety laws at the local level.
Imagine if, after 9/11, members of a pro-weapons movement began treating the weapons used by the hijackers as talismans, defiantly advertising the same weapons as guarantors of Americans' liberty -- and as really fun toys for adults. Imagine if they showed up wielding such weapons at memorial ceremonies for 9/11 survivors. Imagine if that was treated perfectly acceptable behavior, because the pro-weapons movement had mastered the art of waving the flag while brandishing box cutters, with the result that most of America regarded pro-weapons absolutists as America-lovers expressing their profound patriotism.
That's precisely how we respond to gun massacres. So, yeah, we're going to have a lot more of them.
