How Many More Must Die?

Today, somewhere around the world, another person was murdered. Like so many who were murdered before her, the murderer used a weapon that should be considered prima facie evidence of intent to commit a crime. Despite that, many people continue to resist the most obvious solution to what has been a problem for quite a long time now. Legislators refuse to enact common-sense laws to ban this weapon, existing, sensible laws go unenforced, and courts have been negligent in issuing rulings that would help prevent these criminals from running loose while the police are powerless to do anything about it. In particular, of late, not only have efforts to ban this weapon been met with resistance, derision, and public shaming, but a growing number of places require people to use it. Even the tamest restrictions on this weapon are shouted down by its supporters, who control the debate about it top to bottom. Those not using this weapon are ruthlessly barred from many activities that ordinary, sane people ought to be able to enjoy without using such a weapon.

Even business proprietors who recognize the danger of this weapon have been cowed into submission by its advocates-- businesses that, while society was still somewhat sane, would have been able to assume that anyone entering their premises with the weapon were dangerous and at the least should be asked to leave. The reasonable among us, despite the unreasonable assertions made and the unjust and unfair accusations hurled at us, know that this weapon is inherently unsafe.

We wonder every day why we have to wait for another unspeakable crime to occur-- why we have to wait for the death toll to mount-- why we have to look at another gruesome picture of a crime victim, or maybe even a group of crime victims whose deaths could have been prevented if only this weapon could be banned once and for all. We wonder how many more headlines we have to read and how long it will be before some semblance of sanity and civility returns to the world?

While we dawdle, somewhere, another vulnerable person is at risk. The next victim could be your friend, your relative, your husband or wife. The plain fact is that the mere existence of this weapon is unsafe for everyone. Its existence renders surveillance cameras useless. It makes criminals difficult if not impossible to identify. If it's all about safety-- if in fact it's about common sense and rational thinking-- it's time to ban this weapon once and for all, without hesitation and without delay. Or do the proponents of this weapon not care a whit about safety? If so, how can they be so selfishly and callously indifferent to the mounting death toll and the cries of those whose loved ones were killed on account of this weapon?

The time has come to act. Get out your paper and pencil, your typewriter, or even a computer. Write to your elected officials and demand action-- now. Stop letting the special-interest lobbyists control the show. This weapon is absolutely unsafe and no one, no one should be allowed to have one in public. Even one more death at the hands of this weapon is too many; it's time we started saving lives as we all agree we ought to do instead of sacrificing them to the whims of special-interest groups. Ladies and gentlemen, the time has come to outlaw the mask.