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Health & Fitness

Newtown Families: "Go to hell!" (Part Two)

We got over 100 comments about this story last week. Here's part two.

Last week’s post about Bob Davis - the radio host who told the Newtown families to “go to hell” – generated over 100 comments here on Patch (the post is not available at the moment; I’m told that Patch is still working on migrating content to the new platform, so hopefully it will be up again soon.)

Here’s what I wrote, followed by an update:

Did you hear what Minnesota radio host Bob Davis recently said about the Newtown victims?
“I have something I want to say to the victims of Newtown, or any other shooting. I don't care if it's here in Minneapolis or anyplace else. Just because a bad thing happened to you doesn't mean that you get to put a king in charge of my life. I'm sorry that you suffered a tragedy, but you know what? Deal with it, and don't force me to lose my liberty, which is a greater tragedy than your loss. I'm sick and tired of seeing these victims trotted out, given rides on Air Force One, hauled into the Senate well, and everyone is just afraid -- they're terrified of these victims. ... I would stand in front of them and tell them, 'Go to hell.'

Part of my job as a rabbi is to see the good in everything. So here’s the good in this: Folks do not want to ally themselves with such vileness. Trash like this is making us all take a good hard look at ourselves – all of us. Gun owners and non-owners; Republicans and Democrats - reasonable folks who naturally see things from different perspectives - are fed up with being divided from one another, whether in order to boost radio listenership or to keep N.R.A. money coming in to campaign headquarters. 90% of Americans want to see enhanced background checks. This issue is not going away. The upshot of that small story is that Davis – who at first tried the "we don't filter our views” defense – did, after four days, finally apologize.

The upshot of the much larger, much more important story – the renewed drive for enhanced gun safety legislation – has yet to be written. Given the disconnect between the voters and the way their representatives voted last time around we have reason to hope for a better outcome next time.

Note: Senators Rand Paul, John Boozman, Chuck Grassley, Kelly Ayotte, Johnny Isakson, and Saxby Chambliss all voted against enhanced background checks in spite of the fact that their constituents overwhelmingly are in favor of them. 82% of folks in Paul’s Kentucky; 84% in Boozman’s Arkansas; 88% in Grassely’s Iowa; 89% in Ayotte’s New Hampshire; and 91% in Isakson’s and Chambliss’s Georgia are in favor of extending background checks.

If you saw the comments last week, you’ll remember that a broad range of opinions was expressed. But threading through it all was one argument that I believe expresses the prevailing opinion of most Americans today, of gun-owners and non-owners alike: that closing background check loopholes is an eminently reasonable thing to do; that continuing to allow felons, the mentally unstable, and potential terrorists to purchase arsenals of weapons at gun shows – no questions asked – is counter to our interests. Moreover, though we’ll never entirely eliminate gun violence, history shows that limiting magazine capacity to ten rounds will serve to reduce casualties (at Tucson the murderer was taken down when he ran out of ammunition and had to reload; at Newtown 11 children were able to escape when the murderer’s 30 round clip ran out of ammunition).

If you support the Second Amendment and reasonable gun safety legislation know that you stand with the overwhelming majority of Americans. The overwhelming majority of Americans understand that Second Amendment does not confer an unlimited right to bear arms.

Just as the right of free speech does not allow us to yell "fire" in a crowded theatre; and freedom of religion does not extend to the performance of human sacrifices; so the right to bear “arms” - i.e. weapons which can be carried by a person - does not extend to machine guns, bazookas, shoulder-launch missiles; sawed-off shotguns; grenades, etc.. Under the Second Amendment “arms” can indeed be regulated; as they are; as, for the common wheal, they must be. About this, notwithstanding what you may read or hear, the overwhelming majority of us do agree.  

Thank you for
e-mailing, liking, tweeting, or otherwise forwarding this blog-post to any and all you think might benefit by reading it. And thank you for continuing to support the work of Demand A Plan, Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, and Americans for Responsible Solutions. 

Rabbi Mark Sameth - named one of the 36 most inspiring rabbis in America by The Jewish Daily Forward - is the spiritual leader of Joyful Judaism: Pleasantville Community Synagogue an inclusive, progressive synagogue – with members from twenty towns, villages and cities all across Westchester and “A Hebrew School Your Kids Can Love.” Read The New York Times article. Watch Rabbi Mark on-line on PCTV76. Follow Rabbi Mark on Twitter. Weekly meditation at the synagogue every Saturday morning at 9 am is open to the public; everyone – without exception - is welcome and warmly invited.  OUR MEMBERSHIP DRIVE IS ON - OPEN HOUSE JUNE 14. See “Top Ten Reasons to Join PCS” - as well as service times and events - at www.ShalomPCS.com

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