“The regulations say that you can complain, but the result will not be the one you expect.”
I have written this several times before; as an observation about Twitter, as part of a rant, and now as a warning.
There are two distinct and disturbing issues we are facing: the impeachment of a controversial president and the gathering momentum for some sort of solution to prevent gun violence. For both issues, the above quote applies – what is most contested may not lead to desirable results.
Last night, I posed a simple observation on Facebook:
When this fails… then what?
When this succeeds… then what?
Perhaps I am one of the few independents chuckling… but it is the sound of “Kobayashi Maru” -themed laughter, because, either way… the clouds are dark on the horizon…
“… A very exciting time.”
Indeed, the Star Trek reference of a no-win scenario is appropriate for both cases. For those unfamiliar, the “Kobayashi Maru” was a simulation which presented no path towards victory. Designed as such, there was only one rationale for subjecting potential starship captains to such a decidedly dire situation:
The purpose is to experience fear. Fear in the face of certain death. To accept that fear, and maintain control of oneself and one’s crew.
For the impeachment: it will be interesting to see what happens either way. The way I see it panning out, there will be no happy ending. Either side will be riled up and the scathing, divisive commentary will not cease for a long time to come. I don’t think that the impeachment will go the way the Democrats wish it would – to see the president removed from office. Even that action would lead to a problematic conclusion for them: the vice president becoming the head of state… which would lead to an entirely new process to remove him until they get the results which they desire – the presidential line of succession bringing the Speaker of the House into office.
Of course, the chaos which would inevitably result would be unlike anything ever seen in American history…
Which leads to a more pressing issue: Virginia’s current effort to legislate new policies aimed at reducing the potential for firearm-related violence.
Virginia recently pre-filed several bills which are intended to radically change standing firearm laws within the state. SB 18 requires background checks for any firearm transfer, establishes severe penalties for anyone who “recklessly leaves a loaded, unsecured firearm in such a manner as to endanger the life or limb of any person under the age of 18,” and raises the age limit for transportation or possession of a “handgun or assault firearm” to the age of 21.
SB 64, redefines an existing and similar law of the same title: “Paramilitary activities; penalty.” This defines and restricts activities which are centered around operational/tactical skill demonstration, assemblies with firearms in a manner which would suggest direct application in civil disorders, or assemblies “with the intent of intimidating any person or group of persons” with firearms (a law which was already enacted and is merely modified).
Finally, SB 16 restricts the “sale, transport, ect., of assault firearms and certain firearm magazines…” to include shotguns capable of more than 7 rounds and any firearm magazine with a capacity greater than ten rounds.
Before I continue, I must make two things very clear. First, is that I am a firearm owner and have been for a while now. I fully realize how this may bias my own views on the topic, yet I have gone to great lengths to understand and respectfully engage with those who hold opposing views. Second, I am a self-described “student of history.” I think… a lot… and in the process, I have become quite skeptical of idealism, cults of personality, and the naiveite of good intentions.
With that, I find the direction being taken by the Governor and State Senate disconcerting when contrasted with the reaction of the residents of Virginia who have taken a determined and firm stance against these new laws. A Google search of “Second Amendment sanctuary cities in Virginia” results in a list of article links which vary on degrees of overall credibility when it comes to which counties have shown their intent to be non-compliant with the proposed laws. With most of the counties in Virginia declaring themselves either “Second Amendment Sanctuary Cities” or “Constitutional Cities,” the growing resistance towards Richmond is significant.
While I can see where the overall (sorta) good intentions are behind the proposed laws, what bothers me about the whole matter is the perils of reactionary movements in this day of near-instantaneous communication and news. As I researched and composed this post, I reviewed my own summary of the bills and had to stop several times to reflect if my own prejudices and concerns were distorting the facts of the legislation. However, I appreciate the finer details which many have taken affront to.
The shift from “shall” to “is” in several instances in SB 18 denotes a drastic change in the presumption of guilt and other punitive directives might stand as one possible point of contention. However, the definitions found in § 18.2-308.8 of SB 16 may be the biggest problem for many in Virginia. The term “assault firearm” is inordinately inclusive of a variety of weapons – from rifles to pistols and shotguns – which accounts for many cosmetic and/or otherwise irrelevant features such as bayonet lugs, muzzle compensators, and other features which are listed in ambiguous terms such as “…any characteristic enumerated in like kind…” For these, the wording is clear:
It
shall beis unlawful for any person to import, sell,possess ortransferthe following firearms: the Striker 12, commonly called a “streetsweeper,” or any semi-automatic folding stock shotgun of like kind with a spring tension drum magazine capable of holding twelve shotgun shells, manufacture, purchase, possess, or transport an assault firearm. A violation of this sectionshall beis punishable as a Class 6 felony.
“…Possess…” the sticking point.
Returning to my question from the beginning:
When this fails… then what?
When this succeeds… then what?
At the end of November, I caught wind of a developing story in New York – a veteran had posted that he was in the process of being the subject of a “red flag” confiscation. Social media took off with posts and commentary of law enforcement, their Constitutional parameters, and the overall injustice of idea that seemingly unwarranted firearms confiscations had moved from the realm of the paranoid into the tangible world. Even before solid facts and statements could be offered through official releases, sympathetic and patriotic-minded folks had started moving towards the area standoff with ideas of support and/or reinforcement.
I distinctly remember the hair on the back of my neck standing up as I realized the full potential of social media in possibly making a bad situation much much worse. Tweets were taken down… the official story seemed to shift… the 911 call center for the area reported they were deluged with calls requesting information… it all had a surreal quality to it – as if it was scripted from a really bad novel. In the end, what was originally understood by those outside of the event turned out to be much different than what actually occurred… but that doesn’t bode well for the overall level of twitchiness and skepticism of both the governing and governed.
Reflecting on this not too long ago, I made an observation which could apply to both sides of the gun control debate:
It is probably not a good idea to freak out the people with the guns.
We are at an interesting point in American history. We are faced with success and/or failure on so many levels, but these aren’t manifested in one symbolic event or action where the results are crystal-clear and immediate. However, we cannot face these considerable challenges with fear; rather, we should embrace that understanding of what is truly at stake and maintain ourselves with the determination that we will shine in “…a very exciting time.”
We all need to calm the hell down first, though.
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Reblogged this on Dave Loves History and commented:
This is the sort of place where conversations should be starting. There is so much involved in this issue and so much passion and emotion instead of logic and consideration.
Instead, what we are getting is Social Media outrage and 140 character counter punching…
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