About Me

There wasn’t a particular factor that determined my political views. I feel that it’s still an ongoing process. My family and the church played a very important role in politically socializing me, especially in learning how to conduct my social behavior day to day. My grandmother would often say to me “Treat others, as you would like to be treated”. This taught me that if I treated people with respect that I would also receive it. She and my mother both worked full-time outside the home to support us. Politics were rarely discussed in our family, but I do believe in the electoral process. I'm not a party-oriented person. My goal is to support candidates with the courage to change things without pandering to special interest groups. I generally avoid getting involved in political discussions because they usually turn into nasty debates. Hopefully that will change during the course of this class. As these are challenging times, many of my friends are turned off by politics. I remind them that voting is a priviledge in this country. And if they're unhappy about something, they have the freedom to do something about it.

Friday, April 22, 2011

How much power it too much?

       On her blog, Lisa Bloomberg discussed “How much power it too much?” (click to read post) Democrat representatives from New York and New Jersey are fighting for the limit of magazines with a capacity of more than 10 rounds at a time. The previous ban expired in 2004. I have no problem with controlled gun ownership, which is one end of the "gun culture" spectrum. However, I do have a problem with tragic incidents that occur as a result of ineffective gun control legislation. I agree that Congress should limit the magazine capacity of guns. Gun control is a very controversial issue in the United States. Accidental discharges of firearms claim lives, owning a gun can endanger those around even responsible owners, and gun control laws don't stop criminals from getting guns. There are many who believe the responsibility for defense rests with the government, therefore citizens have no need for guns for self defense. Another viewpoint is that Americans are primarily responsible for what happens to them, and should have the tools required to ensure their safety. Sadly, there are those who choose to initiate violence against others by going on shooting rampages as a means of being heard. They should not be allowed to end lives without having to stop and reload. I also agree that an attack against citizens in any country is terrorism, and must end. However, one sad fact about gun law legislation is that lobbyist money runs the show in Congress, which is not the desire of the American people. There is no 'cure all' solution to the gun debate. It is the age-old debate about freedom versus safety, and I don’t believe it’s a debate that will be settled any time soon.

Posted by at

No comments:

Post a Comment

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)