The Garden of the Blind

There has been a lot of talk recently about gun rights/control. This last week, Tim Kaine expressed his loathing for people who have been making a “political hobbyhorse” out of the issue. While I have a lot that I could say on the subject, I will, for the most part, refrain for now. This is partly because I generally agree with Governor Kaine, and partly because I don’t really have a position on the issue. It is a very complex subject that is unfortunately over-simplified by pundits on both sides, and I don’t think that we’re anywhere close to resolution.

Instead, I present two litmus tests. If you wonder where you fall regarding the gun debate, check yourself against these and you can quickly determine where you lie.

First: Upon hearing about some incident where a person goes crazy and starts shooting at innocent bystanders, you think,

• “If only someone there had a concealed weapon. They could have protected those people and stopped the shooter.”
• “If only there were more laws to keep weapons out of the hands of people like that. We’d be a lot safer if you couldn’t buy a handgun so easily.”

For the second test, read the two point-counterpoint editorials published on CNN.com, written by Tom Plate and Ted Nugent. It may help if you randomize the order in which you read them, but the order that I have listed them is the order in which they were listed on the CNN site.

If you find yourself saying that either writer is absolutely right, and the other is a hopelessly naive fool, then you know where you stand.

P.S. If you disagree with both of the options above, that’s okay. Regardless of what some people say, it’s okay to be a moderate.