Northeast News
June 8, 2016
Kansas City Mayor Sly James recognized National Gun Violence Awareness Day on June 2nd by issuing a multi-paragraph manifesto directed at every legal gun owner in the city, warning us that he was doubling down and pressing for what Liberals call “common sense gun regulations.” Note: the “common sense” buzz-phrase is there to make anyone who disagrees with the “common sense” part look like some right-wing whackadoo.

Let’s just make one thing clear. This dog is keenly aware of gun violence, too, and is sick and fed up with it just like the Mayor. But our plan isn’t to continually attempt to infringe on the 2nd amendment of the constitution of the United States in order to get it done.

The Mayor, in his 714-word missive, talks a lot about neighbors working with the various agencies that make Kansas City safer. What he fails to mention, however, is that he and the City Council approved drastic cuts to the police budget two years running, severely hindering law enforcement from effectively doing their job of combating violent crime. One day last week there were less than ten officers on the streets on the day shift in all of East Patrol, the city’s busiest and arguably most violent police zone. Telling the general public to work with the tools in the city’s toolbox to make their communities safer, then systematically stealing the tools from the box is not a successful strategy. There’s a reason violent crime and homicides are on the rise. Do the math.

The Mayor also noted the names of some of those killed by gun violence and their respective ages. You’re right, Mr. Mayor, it is sad when a boy who’s barely a man loses his life to gun violence. What is not mentioned, however, is in a majority of crimes, the victim knew their assailant and in many cases, the crime was gang or domestic violence related. There’s a reason why when media outlets get pictures of the victim, it’s often a mug shot.

This critical thinking news-dog thinks that maybe before the Mayor tries once again to trump state and federal gun laws, he could press upon the court systems to prosecute using the plethora of gun laws that are already on the books at both the state and federal level. How about instead of promoting “gun free” or “safe zones” in schools, we offer teachers and administrators the opportunity to go through a regional police academy or tactical firearms training, so that if and when an active shooter situation arises at a school or safe zone, there’s a trained good guy there with a gun to stop the bad guy with the gun. Sure beats waiting what seems like an eternity for a police response as the death toll ratchets up.

We don’t need more over-reaching “common sense” gun legislation to solve the problem, just some common sense, hard-nosed prosecution that puts bad people in jail for a very long time with no opportunity for appeal.

It’s easy to talk the talk when you have two heavily armed and extremely well-trained Police guards at your disposal 24/7, Mr. Mayor, but don’t adopt the “do as I say, not as I do” mantra to advance your agenda. Frankly, if this legally carrying pooch meets up with some thug in my yard with intent to cause my family harm, I’m sure as blazes not reaching for the cell phone to call 911 only to be put on hold by a call-taking crew that’s blacked out in every district in the city thanks to budget cuts. When seconds count, a good cop is minutes, sometimes hours away. Thanks, but no thanks, Mr. Mayor. I believe I’ll keep mine.