Gun Control. Really?

Let me begin by making a couple of concessions. First, I do not blog as often as I should. Second, when I blog, I rarely blog about politics. Further, although I generally post a link to my twitter account when I do blog, I'm not the most adept twitterER in the world, either. So, that having been writtten, I want to share a few thoughts about a tweet that I posted a week ago.

I was having some repair work done to my car and while sitting, and waiting, to have it finished, I had reached the limit of what my eyes were willing to do with my Kindle, so I turned to the television in the lobby of the repair shop. I was the only one waiting there, so I had free reign of the TV's remote. May I just say there isn't much on television during the mid morning hours with their cable package! That is evidenced when I settled on one of the C-Span channels!

That particular day the folks in Washington were debating in a Senate committee about gun control. Quite frankly, I'm not sure if it was a full committee or a sub-committee, but I was listening to Senator Feinstein, among others debate this country's need for stronger gun control laws. Sen. Feinstein, the notable California senator, made some statements in her strong argument for stricter gun control laws that angered me. Honesty compels me to say that I do not remember specifically what she said, but the rhetoric of gun laws reducing mass murders has been repeated ad nauseum, anyway.

My tweet while watching this Washington brain-trust, however, is still available. I simply said: "Senator Feinstein has overwhelmingly convinced me she has no business in Washington! #guncontrol" I used that fancy schmancy hash tag only because it was in the corner of the television screen. While my tweet did not go viral by any stretch of the imagination, it did garner some attention to my twitter account. I had some become new followers, even had a couple to 'favorite' the tweet. There was at least one, though, that didn't like it at all.

QChocolate (@QrsChocolate) tweeted, "@steve4fwb feel sorry for your congregation. #GunControlNow hope there's no mass shooting in your home town." At least we agree on one thing. I hope there's no mass shooting in my hometown, either. And I would extend the same wish to hers. No one in their right mind would wish any such horror on someone else.

But we also must understand that making more gun control laws will not solve this problem. If gun control laws would solve the problem in these United States, I would herald them from the highest mountaintops! Were that the case, however, let's also ban the automobiles, since it is through them that drunk drivers kill and maim thousands annually on our highways. It is the same logic!

If the answer to the problem was the passage of stricter or more gun control laws, it would seem that we would see it working elsewhere. In fact, the opposite is true. The city of Chicago has arguably some of the most stringent gun control laws on the books anywhere in the Nation. In 2012, according to www.dnainfo.com/chicago, there were 506 murders. That's more than one a day! And for the really good news (firmly implanted tongue in cheek) January 2013 put them on a pace to outshine that! Chicago is on pace for their highest murder rate since 2002. So yes, with those statistics firmly planted in our minds, let's keep going with this ideaology that passing more laws will magically make the murder rate decrease.

Do we want to see the murder rates go down? Of course, we do! But let's go about it in a sensible way. The fact is, if a person is bad and mean enough to murder someone, what makes you think that the person will be responsible and law abiding enough to register the gun he's got, anyway? The gun is merely the weapon used by the individual to do the deed. If a gun is not handy, a hammer or crowbar is just a hardware store away, without a three day wait or a permit to own!

When the convicted criminal is adequately dealt with, it will bring about lower crime rates. The person who feels there is no consequences for his actions will continue to do them. No amount of laws preventing someone from owning a gun will prevent a murder from taking place.

The way to solve the murder rates in this country is a matter of the heart. It's a matter of life transformation. It's a matter of doing what's right. Cain didn't kill Abel with a gun. Cain's problem was not a matter of how much ammunition he could get into the magazine of his weapon. Cain's problem was that he hated his brother because of his own relationship with God was not what it should be. When Cain was confronted by God about his sin, God assured him it would be dealt with.

When we choose to do things God's way, there is peace. When we choose to love our fellow-man, we do not have the issue of violence. Let's not confuse the sinful mistakes of humans doing things in the name of Christianity. There are nut-cases in every corner of the world. But, examine the Scriptures in its context, and you'll find the answers to our problems as a society.

Let's get to the real core of the matter. Let's deal with getting America's heart right with God. Let's deal with being able to speak freely, without fear of some woeful lawsuit, about what Jesus can do for mankind. Both laws and grace have been tested. Man's laws produce continued crime. God's grace provides peace.

An Encounter with Fame

I wrote on another blog a few days ago about people with whom I would enjoy sitting down and sharing a meal. There are a few well known folks that I think it would be interesting to just sit and pick their brain a bit. Among those that I included in that blog were George W. Bush and Sarah Palin. Others were sports figures, John Smoltz and Mark Richt.

This past week, I was able to go to a Spring Training baseball game between the Atlanta Braves and the New York Mets. I'm a big Braves fan, and I always enjoy going to watch them play ball. In fact, I went to my first Braves game as a youngster in May 1969 in Atlanta. In that game, Hammerin' Hank Aaron hit a homerun and I've been hooked ever since!

As a kid growing up, my aspirations were to play baseball for the Braves and to follow that career in the broadcast booth. The closest I came was playing a year of JV baseball in high school and working in radio playing gospel music and then doing some broadcasting of local high school sports on the side.

Generally this time of year, I'm just like kid in a candy store when I'm at a baseball game. I realize those guys are overpaid to play a game. I understand they put their britches on just like I do. But to understand the work they put in to hone their craft and the ability they have leaves me somewhat awestruck. To compound that, to put together a career of statistics that enable a player to be enshrined into the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, NY is a huge deal to me.

While attending the game at Disney the other day, I saw a guy signing autographs from the broadcast booth. The stadium is small enough that the fans in the stands have pretty much direct contact with those guys. I had taken a baseball with me for the specific purpose of trying to obtain such a signature. It was none other than Hall of Fame pitcher Don Sutton.

As my friend, Bob, and I made our way up the aisle to speak with Mr. Sutton, I could feel the excitement welling up inside me. Then I was able to chat with him a bit. He was such a gracioius gentleman and took the time to chat with as many fans as he could before he had to begin his preparations for his work.

The honor was doubled when I realized that the Braves play by play announcer was also in the booth. I'd certainly be remiss for not mentioning Mr. Jim Powell. He was also as kind and gracious when he signed my program and took a minute to visit as well.

I'm aware that getting a man to sign his name on a baseball or a game program is not going to matter a whole lot in the grand scheme of eternity, but it was enjoyable to be able to share my appreciation with him. I do admire his body of work, both as an athlete and now as a broadcaster. To add the fact that these were classy gentlemen to that list allows me to appreciate his work even more.

Thank you, Mr. Sutton, for providing a bit of enjoyment to a guy's afternoon at Disney.

My baseball signe by Hall of Fame Pitcher, Don Sutton