Arizona tragedy hurts American gun owners

If you have felt a little weighted down and sluggish the past few days, you are not alone — not if you legally own a firearm, anyway. Because along with the weighty responsibility that comes with being a gun owner is the even heavier matter of the blame you and I now carry for the terrible events that unfolded Saturday in Tucson, Ariz.

Not that you, I or the other 80 million American gun owners had anything to do with the vicious attack on Arizona Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords as she met with her constituents outside of a busy supermarket. An attack by a lone gunman that resulted in six people dead, 12 others wounded and Giffords critically injured left the rest of us stunned and asking why anyone could, let alone would, do such a despicable thing.

But in today’s world, the fact that 79,999,999 other gun owners had nothing to do with the Tucson shooting doesn’t seem to matter, not in a day when some people are quick to place blame on anyone or anything but the perpetrator of the crime. This is especially true when those pointing the fingers are merely looking to take advantage of a terrible tragedy to forward their political agendas.

Unfortunately, while most Americans have been trying to come to some understanding, some means of dealing with this tragic event, others have used the heinous actions of the alleged shooter, 22-year-old Jared Loughner, as a launching pad for a renewed effort to pass stricter gun controls and re-enact the so-called assault weapons ban. And then there are those who are seeking to muzzle the conservative side of the political aisle because, as they say, expression of conservative values surely carries part of the blame.

In essence, all American gun owners are being lined up for a spanking because someone else used a firearm to do something terribly wrong. While I think we need to discuss ways of identifying the ticking time bombs among us, those discussions need to be carried out in an environment that is not heated by rhetoric and driven by freedom-quashing agendas. What we don’t need is some kind of secret police force patrolling the streets for people who someday possibly might do something wrong.

What we need to do today is put our differences aside, mourn with those who mourn, support those who have suffered significant loss and encourage those who must carry on without their loved ones or face each day with the grit needed to overcome the effects of their injuries. And regardless of our political alignments, we should pray — or whatever it is you choose to do — for Rep. Giffords’ full recovery.

Meanwhile, I will proudly join the thousands of hunting and shooting retailers, vendors and members of the outdoor media who attend the Shooting, Hunting, Outdoor Trade Show and Conference when it come to the Sands Expo & Convention Center in Las Vegas next week. No doubt the Tucson tragedy will be a topic of conversation among conference goers, and it will be interesting to hear the perspective of gun enthusiasts from around the globe.

Freelance writer Doug Nielsen is a conservation educator for the Nevada Department of Wildlife. His “In the Outdoors” column, published Thursday in the Las Vegas Review-Journal, is not affiliated with or endorsed by the NDOW. Any opinions he states in his column are his own. He can be reached at intheoutdoorslv@gmail.com.