You do not apply a tourniquet to kill the limb. But to stop it from bleeding. We have lots of hard medicine like this. Never ending analogies for when we restrict a thing temporarily in order to help, or heal, or understand it. So I am confused how so many of us are convinced we have to be for or against. Everything. All the time.

You can support gun ownership, the second amendment, you can support high volume magazines and rapid fire semi-automatics, and still admit there is a problem. When someone suggests increased legislation, you are allowed to nod along and understand. Because it is understandable. You can absolutely love something, someone, and still hand them bitter medicine every now and again, because you know it’s good for them. No one likes the taste of these words. This conversation.
And the silver lining is, we aren’t supposed to.

You love the limb. I know how much you treasure this hand.
But when it’s bleeding, don’t blame the doctor who brings out a tourniquet.

Once the bleeding has stopped, and we go a year or two, maybe a few, without that arm being involved in a violent mass murder, you will find an incredibly accessible, appropriately positioned platform to defend your right bear it.

But for now, you have to understand this is medicine.
I know you hate the idea of it, of maybe losing your hand.
But it is time to stop shaking your head.

I’ll go so far as to say, if you would argue against anyone who suggests restricting access to the destructive instruments involved in every single one of these incidents, I don’t know where you and I go from here. You can support gun ownership, the second amendment, anything you like, really.

But suggesting restrictions for murder tools is a natural, normal, expected
and anticipated response to this sort of violence. Arguing against that response,
because an industry has made you believe you have to be either for or against
some set of tools you really like, is emblematic of a deeper character flaw.

I get defending your right to own a weapon.
I do not get defending it in the face of loss.

The arms you do have the right to bear are clearly bleeding.

I don’t hate your guns.

But I’ll be damned if I watch this country
bleed to death because of them.