It’s the phrase of the day, but the problem with “common sense gun control” is that it’s an inherently subjective phrase.
Unless we can somehow abandon all our personal biases and form consensus around the definition of “common sense,” we won’t even be able to agree on what we disagree about. Merriam-Webster explains “define” as a word that acts “to determine or identify the essential qualities or meaning of” something.
Yet as a nation, we’re very far away from being able to apply that descriptor to “common sense gun control.” Consider a few of the key areas of policy consideration.
On mental health, Broward County Public Schools Superintendent Robert Runcie suggests:
that include investments in mental health services for our youth and common sense gun control for this nation.
— Supt Runcie (@RobertwRuncie) February 15, 2018
But what does this mean? Does it mean integrating medical records with the FBI? If so, what mental health conditions can gun owners have? Psychosis? OCD? schizophrenia? anxiety? sociopathy? depression? What if someone has a condition but is effectively medicated?
Common sense becomes a lot more complicated and serious when individual freedom and the most intimate elements of one’s privacy are transferred to government ownership.
Indeed, one might say that mental health-related gun control is the most complicated of all “common sense” considerations even if it is the most frequently talked about.
What about another frequent “common sense” control that Democrats support: banning assault-style rifles?
Addendum: no one is saying that the 2nd Amendment needs to go. But it can coexist with common sense gun laws. No one needs an AR-15 unless they’re in the military. No one should be able to buy a gun without a background check. If you object to those, perhaps ask yourself why.
— Jodi Picoult (@jodipicoult) February 15, 2018
I ask, because for over millions of gun owners and Republicans this is far from a common sense proscription.
Don’t get me wrong, I get that this argument over “sense” goes both ways. I, for example, believe it is common sense to provide federal grants that would allow for 2 armed security officers to be stationed in every school and college. But I get that many liberals and some conservatives would disagree with me.
And that’s the whole point. Ultimately, we must first agree that we cannot agree on what “common sense” actually means. Having abandoned that most useless of phrases, we can move the conversation out of emotion and forwards towards the exigent discussions of policy and society.
