Many of us have become accustomed to clicking our tongues, thanking God our children were not involved and then going about our normal life after another weekly gun shooting. Last week’s slaughter in Florida seems to have provided some traction for advocates of stricter gun controls.
Politicians seem to vote for whoever fills their wallets. Mostly that’s the NRA. But as consumers, we can have an effect too. I propose that beginning now, we boycott any arena or vacation destination that refuses to implement better gun laws. These laws would prohibit the sale of firearms to persons under 21 years of age, would ban all military assault firearms, would ban all modifications of firearms which make them more lethal, i.e., bump-stocks and silencers and make very professional background checks mandatory for every exchange of a firearm.
College students – how about avoiding Florida this spring? Instead spend your time (and money) in sunny Mexico. It’s much more economical, adds a foreign country to your resume and it will help Mexico pay for Trump’s wall!
The rest of us – let’s boycott any venue which hosts gun shows. Force our city fathers to put into place regulations prohibiting the display and sale of firearms, or regulations which make the sale of firearms very difficult, such as mandatory background checks. This means boycotting events at the Salem Civic Center which is hosting four gun shows this year and the Roanoke Civic Center which is hosting three gun shows this year. Do the cities and managers who operate the civic centers care more for NRA dollars or the opinions of their citizens?
Of course, in order to stand firm and make our point, we must sacrifice sporting events, orchestral concerts, road shows, home shows, etc. But, if we are truly concerned about the proliferation of guns and lack of regulations, this seems a small price to pay in order to make a point.
Do we have the guts to act, or are we just wimpy citizens who complain but never take action?
-Submitted by Ernie Bentley