Article: Gun Hearing in Santa Rosa with Mike Thompson

[Ernieman]

by Ernie Carpenter
WaccoBB.net

Congressman Mike Thompson, newly appointed Chair of the Gun Violence Prevention Task Force by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, held a Hearing in Santa Rosa at the Board of Supervisor Chambers on Thursday night 10 January. Good grief, you couldn’t get into the building. I knew my way around enough to wind up in the Board caucus room where there was a televised account of the hearing. Along with twenty some other people my friend Marc

U.S. Rep Mike Thompson

uprey and I waited the three hours for our name to be called. Mark wanted to testify on need for Mental Health services. I was representing the NAACP. So we got to watch the lineup of speakers and the Congressman on the 30 inch TV. Those in the hall and outside listened on speakers and were packed together so tightly the Fire Marshal would have had a spasm.

The panel had the Sonoma County District Attorney, the Sheriff, the Mental Health Director, the Supervisors, a Department of Justice official and various staff persons. They had 20 second opening statements. Speakers were limited to one and one-half minutes. It is hard to address gun violence in one and one half minutes. Supervisor Shirley Zane led off and the Congressman kept her to one and one half minutes. That’s how it went. Three hours later, they extended the Hearing and cut the time to one minute to get everyone in.

The Congressman recently announced twelve vice chairpersons all congressional colleagues. There will be Hearings across the country and legislative policy recommendations in February. This is a big deal as our Congressman Mike Thompson is Chairing a Committee to recommend legislation to prevent gun violence. The Vice President is chairing another Task Force. The question is will they really do something this time. The last Federal gun control legislation expired with President Bush the Younger and nothing significant has replaced it until now.

Congressman Mike is the perfect Chair. He is a Vietnam Vet who campaigned as a combat vet. He earned a Purple Heart along the way. I know Mike well enough to know he suffered a hearing loss in Vietnam. He is genuine. Represented a more conservative inland district but now has a part of East Santa Rosa. He owns guns and also hunts. I don’t know what he hunts but all this qualifies him somewhat for the National Rifle Association part. Mike is real and no swift boat smear would stick like it did to John Kerry. He is genuine and tough enough. What NRA part you ask?

Well, most of the crowd were NRA supporters which included hunters, gun shooters, self-defense persons, home invasion protectors, vets, off duty law enforcement, a coule normal people and some serious mothers. I mean serious as in armed with AK-47s and teaching their 6-year olds to shoot. This was the testimony! So, between Second Amendment rights (look it up) and self-defense arguments there was not too much room for sane meaningful discussion of the possibilities of preventing gun violence. The task is hard enough without the NRA packing a meeting hall with “inanimate objects don’t kill, people do” types. That has replaced “pry it from my dead fingers” as the NRA buzz. I will say they were pretty well behaved at the meeting. There were only a few oblique threats. Only one “God is a higher power than the Constitution” and for some reason I can therefore do what I want with a gun. There were reasonable voices too I will add but it is the NRA’s issue.

The Congressman has taken on a Chairmanship that by its very existence will bring him into conflict with the NRA, He handled it well but frankly if you care to control the street weaponry in this Country, write the Congressman an email on the subject. I do not think the ardor will wane quickly for legislation but the Republicans and the NRA are already trying to head off anything significant. Support on major issues like this is always welcomed by the representative. You snooze you lose.

Here is what I didn’t say in my minute and one half. Beginning to address gun violence does not have to infringe on anyone’s Second Amendment Right. There are certain things the Fed can do and to have a uniform gun law that all gun sellers and owners have to follow nationally is a good start. California has a good model on the books. That can include controls on rapid fire weapons, multi round magazines, conversion kits, ending resale at gun shows, closing resale loopholes, and I would eliminate high caliber weapons. Then it gets dicey with background checks and psychological tests and well, how far do you go? It is a hot button issue and in my experience, you either want gun control or you don’t I have concluded.

There was poignant testimony. Some was from victims. Some was from teachers about troubled youth in schools needing help. We just do not make the resource available to address them. The need for mental health services came up several times. This need cuts across political boundaries. We do not have a viable mental health system in Sonoma County. If we can get over the civil liberty aspect of identifying troubled children and hope to prevent them from committing future violence, we don’t have the mental health resources to treat them anyway. Did I mention I also wanted to say that basic economic theory tells us we cannot have both guns (war) and butter (social programs). It is time to end the eastern wars and reinvest in this Country. This includes mental health funding to local government on some basis.

If I were given five minutes I would have said that people feel despair. Have you read where too many young males are forsaken about life? Is it coincidence these mass shootings seen to escalate in a time of despair? I believe hope lies in education, jobs and housing. What about people of color? Major victims of gun violence are young black males. Lots of despair there too. I even felt the despair of the NRA .Unfortunately they blame the government for all our ills. They blame and they are well armed. The government needs to get back to these domestic needs and provide hope for the people. Mike, you need to do it all! Control the obscene weaponry but give the people some hope so they can look to a brighter future. And, get us some mental health funding, please.

There is no one approach. It is going to involve all of the above. We need to get fast fire multi-clips off the street, more security at schools, better mental health services, education, and parenting. The NRA supports all this but limiting anything that has to do with controlling the “inanimate object”, the gun itself.

So the Congressman and his Committee have a hard task. Somehow I have confidence he and the split Congress will get something in place. It will be a good beginning. I don’t have high hopes it’ll be a full loaf. That’s the way controversial and hot button issues work. Neither side gets a full loaf. Sometimes it takes years. After the massacre in Newton Connecticut, the people want action. That’s what gives this a chance. The NRA will fight long and hard propped up by major funding from gun manufacturers I am sure. That is why Congress and the Administration is moving quickly. Somehow I think the battle is just beginning.

If you have an opinion and want to express it, now is the time. Send an email to Congressman Mike Thompson by going to this webpage.

Ernie Carpenter has lived in Sonoma County since 1969. He has an MSW (LCSW) from UC Berkeley. He has served on the Sonoma County Planning Commission, the Board of Supervisors (16-years) and the Civil Service Commission. He has been involved in environmental, social justice, social work, planning, waste and recycling issue. He lives in the Graton area and has grown children, Currently employed as a waste consultant by the Ratto Group.