Thoughts on Guns

I have resisted the temptation to comment on the Virginia Tech shootings because, truth be told - even in light of the terrible events in Blacksburg - I still find myself neither a full-blown advocate of stringent fire arms control efforts, nor a supporter of unfettered gun ownership. Rather than risk posting an equivocating piece with little value to add to the conversation, I have abstained from expressing an opinion at all.

However, Barry Eisler over at The Heart of the Matter reminds us in a post called - simply enough - Thoughts on Guns, that there is value in framing the debate itself in new ways as a step toward claiming a position of one's own. Barry is the best-selling author of the John Rain series of thrillers, a former CIA agent, an ex-lawyer and a martial artist, and his blog regularly reflects that worldliness in its balanced, rational and thoughtful approach. I've had the pleasure of meeting Barry, and he's a pretty personable individual on top of all that.

So, take a look at Thoughts on Guns, and see what you think. It might not supply easy answers, but I think the post provides an uncommonly good framework for further thought and discussion.