SB 12 DOA, everything else on hold

My Senator responded quickly to my concerns on SB 12. It’s deader than John Wilkes Booth.

That’s the good news. The bad news is that Lt. Governor Cagle has no interest in hearing any gun-related legislation in the 2009 session. In his words,

Let me be very, very clear. I have no appetite for that (…) we dealt with this issue last year and I think people should be content with where we are.

I worried this might happen. There was a great deal of shouting, acrimony and hand-wringing over HB 89 in last year’s session, and this is the unfortunate result.

Take heed: this is where confrontational “in your face” tactics will get us. Calling our potential allies in the legislature tyrants and dolts doesn’t help in the least. If you feel the need to contact your congressman, please practice a little civility.

As gun people, it’s our place to be tactful, courteous and calm in the face of cheap emotional appeals. We should not resort to hysterics ourselves, or we look as bad as the other side would like us to. We have the rhetorical and ethical high road. Let’s try to keep it, please.