Did you know that the United States has the highest crime rate in the world? In fact, crime is so bad in the United States that we double the country nearest us.


Did you also know that we far exceed any other country in mass murders, most of them involving young people? In fact since Obama took office, we have had four mass murders. That is far too many! In fact, one is too many!


Let me share a true story with you. In 1979, a shooter entered an elementary school classroom in Great Britain and slaughtered 16 students and their teacher. Parliament immediately took action and no one gave one thought to politics. They immediately outlawed hand guns. As time went along, England banned all weapons except hunting rifles, which gentlemen could keep at hunting lodges. They have not had a mass murder since.


I am not advocating abolishing the second amendment. However, I do believe the time has come to amend it. The times we live in are vastly different from the 1700's. The challenges we face in dealing with those who would choose to use AK-47 assault weapons against six- and seven-year-old babies our forefathers could not even have imagined.


I believe we have many issues to face dealing with these mass killers; however, we must start by banning automatic and semi-automatic weapons that are specifically designed for law enforcement and the military.


I truly do not believe anyone has any business owning one of these weapons in the name of self-defense. The shooter in the Connecticut massacre was carrying a Glock, a Sig Hauser, and a Bushmaster, which is the civilian version of an M-16 assault rifle. His mother had allegedly purchased these weapons. He shot her multiple times. He then entered the school, firing only the Bushmaster assault rifle, pumping as many as eleven rounds into some of the tiny victims.


We have this moment in history when we can start working to make our world a better place. I beg you not to think of this as a political issue or a threat to your second amendment rights. This is something we can do for our children and our grandchildren.

Afterword: I will address other solutions, including the mental health issue tomorrow.