Told ya so . . .

I've been doing this gun discussion thing for 40 years. Until Dec 14, 2012 it was purely esoteric, an exercise in debate tactics and scoring points. That changed when I watched Sandy Hook unfold in real time on live TV with my 3 year old granddaughter sitting on my lap and two grandsons in elementary school a block away. That changes a man.

In all those years the same half dozen false arguments surface, among them those who aren't firearms experts shouldn't promote gun legislation because they simply don't have the knowledge to realistically formulate a law that can work. My response had always been that if this is the case it is like wanting to cure cancer but not being a oncologist. Further, if only gun experts can formulate laws it follows that the NRA and other gun rights groups should be deeply involved in formulating legislation to reduce gun violence.

This didn't get me very far. I even had one Gungeoneer tell me that everything was going their way and they were going to take everything they could while they could. I'd reply that the danger in that approach is that when the pendulum swings it invariably over compensates and they probably would not like the results.

So here we are. Since the '70s the loyal opposition promoted ideas that we could live with, not what we actually wanted; incremental changes. That is over. Now the approach is go for it all.

Look at what's being promoted by Democratic Primary candidates and supported by voters at large. Universal background checks, once the "please, Sir, may I have more" was the big push. No more. Now we want licensing to BUY a gun, federal registration of guns and owners, a total ban on and buy back of semi auto weapons with removable magazines, background checks on ammunition, red flag laws, liability insurance, safe storage laws and we're just getting started.

That whole slippery slope argument is dead. It's now push-us-to-the-edge-and-by-God-we'll-jump-over it-and-take-your-damn-guns-with-us.

You had the chance to get involved. You had the chance to take part and have a meaningful role in reducing the carnage. Too late now, we are on our own and don't need, want and won't accept your input.

Will we get everything now? No but for the first time in my 72 years I believe it will happen in my life time.