Leadership?

The last presidential debate before the Iowa caucuses occurred tonight, capping a lengthy series of debates among both the Democrats and the Republicans vying for the White House.

For all the verbiage in all the debates, we heard nothing constructive about gun-related violence or gun control. (The New York Times had a good editorial on the topic earlier this week.) A few gibes thrown by Republicans at other Republicans suggesting they weren't sufficiently in favor of gun ownership ("I favor machine guns for everybody!" "Bazookas are better!" "I want a howitzer in every garage!"), and that's about it. Nothing from the other side of the aisle.

Nothing about the 33 killed at Virginia Tech. Nothing about the rampage in Omaha earlier this month. Nothing about the shootings in Colorado just a few days ago. Nothing about the assault weapons ban, which President Bush and the Republican Congress allowed to lapse three years ago. Nothing about America's dismal first place ranking in the world's homicide by firearm rate. Nothing about the slaughter occurring every day and every night throughout our land. Nothing about a culture of violence and retribution which lionizes guns and rhapsodizes about vengeance and killing.

Democrats? They avoid the topic like the plague. Look under "Issues" on Hillary Clinton's web site, and you won't find anything about gun control. Ditto Barack Obama. Ditto John Edwards.

Republicans' web sites are a little more open -- they're agin' it, and proud. Fresh meat for their faithful. Rudy Giuliani is a "strong supporter of the Second Amendment" ... and no, boys and girls, that doesn't mean he wants you to join the National Guard if you like to play with guns. Mitt Romney sings from the same homicidal hymnal. You'll find Fred Thompson in the same bloody robes. Mike Huckabee would have you believe he's the choirmaster. John McCain tries to be even more adamant.

So, while home-grown terrorists build their arsenals and slaughter Americans by the thousands on our streets and in our homes, the Democrats are busy ducking the issue and the Republicans cry out for more.

Leadership. Wish it was as easy to find as guns.


P.S. Wanna know how often the word "guns" was mentioned in the debate? Yep. Zero.

Note: this was originally posted on ketches, yaks & hawks 13 December 2007