NRA's non-issue
This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2012, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
After most mass shootings, the National Rifle Association is noticeably silent, letting public outrage over unjustified semiautomatic guns blow over.
This time, after the horrific slaughter of 27 innocents in Newtown, Conn., the outcry for action was at such a pitch that some legal restrictions might happen.
So what did the NRA do? It changed the subject by proposing armed guards in every school. Now we're debating that inane idea rather than eliminating high-capacity ammo magazines and guns that can fire a bullet a second.
We'll waste the 15 minutes of exposure debating a non-issue, and then move on to the next crisis de jure. Smart. Real smart.
Mike Johnston
Salt Lake City