It’s time for adults to act like children

Any person, or any institution, purporting to have THE solution to America’s firearms nightmare is either delusional, foolish or ignorant. Perhaps all three.

THE solution to our national scourge does not exist.

The National Rifle Association does not have THE solution.

Lawmakers on local, state and national levels do not have THE solution.

Law enforcement agencies do not have THE solution.

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Nor do religious authorities, educators, social scientists, entertainment moguls, ad infinitum.

There are, however, a number of possibilities for A solution. Some may work. Some may not. But we won’t know until we try.

We’re far from that point right now because all the major players in this deadly drama react identically when their position is questioned: They run to their room, slam the door and refuse to speak.

It’s tempting to say they act like children, but that would be an insult to young people.

It is the youth of America who maybe — repeat, maybe — will lead us out of this wilderness. Whether participating silently in “die-ins” at their school or speaking loudly and passionately to legislative bodies, their message is clear:

Enough b.s.

Enough knee-jerk, politically correct “thoughts and prayers” platitudes.

Enough stalling until the terror fades, only to bloodily resurface another time, another place.

Guns are not going away in this country — and both of the polar-opposite sides in this issue need to accept such reality.

That goes for the get-rid-of-all-weapons zealots, as well as the pistol-on-every-hip and AR-15-in-every-grip fanatics.

Is the Second Amendment important? Hell yes, it is. But not as myopically interpreted by today’s NRA, which treats any suggestion of reasonable limits on gun ownership as blasphemy. Nor does it ever miss an opportunity to fan the flames of fear.

The NRA has become so one-dimensional, it has lost any hope of mainstream credibility. For Pete’s sake, the gun lobby even strong-armed Congress into stifling scientific research into firearms injuries and deaths as a public health concern.

What nonsense.

Highway deaths are going to occur, no matter what. But can you imagine the amount of roadway slaughter today had the automobile lobby convinced Congress to squelch research into the causes of accidents and safer vehicle design?

Equally jaded is the utopian notion that sweeping prohibitions will make gun violence vanish. Ain’t gonna happen, now or in the future.

Somewhere in this quagmire is common ground. And if teenagers can lead the adults to it, more power to THEM.

Sam Venable’s column appears Sunday and Tuesday. Contact him at sam.venable@outlook.com.