Michael Rosenwald reports on gun owners who favor tighter restrictions, a "silent majority" that continues to be ignored:
Once again, their voices are missing from the debate.
Gun owners who favor tighter restrictions on firearms say they are in the same position after the mass shooting in Oregon as they have been following other rampages — shut out of the argument.
The pattern, they say, is frustrating and familiar: The what-should-be-done discussion pits anti-gun groups against the National Rifle Association and its allies, who are adamantly opposed to any new restrictions on weapons.
On last night's "Saturday Night Live," the cast put together an "ad" on how guns are glorified above human life in this country:Gun owners who occupy the middle ground complain that they are rarely sought out or heard, yet polls show that the majority of gun owners support universal background checks and other controversial limits. President Obama is reportedly considering using his executive authority to impose new background-check requirements for high-volume dealers in private sales — and many gun owners may support that.
One wonders if there ever will be a "tipping point" in this country when rational, life-saving gun safety measures are implemented.
