Counterpoint | Guns, rights and real solutions to senseless violence

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In an Oct. 11 commentary, Christopher L. Moertel called my position that the right to bear arms is “God-given” stupid (“Some things are just stupid, and to call guns ‘God-given’ is one of them”). I respect his grief and share his outrage over senseless violence, including the tragic shooting at Annunciation Catholic Church in Minneapolis. But when emotion replaces evidence and insults replace argument, we lose sight of both liberty and real solutions.

I never claimed that God handed out AR-15s on Mount Sinai. What I said, and stand by, is that the right to self-defense is rooted in the natural rights our founders believed came from our creator, not from the government. The Constitution simply recognizes those rights, it does not bestow them.

The men who wrote our Bill of Rights saw the right to bear arms as a safeguard of personal freedom and a last defense against tyranny. Calling that belief “stupid” isn’t an argument; it’s a dismissal of the philosophical foundation of American liberty.

The horror at Annunciation was carried out with an AR-15-style rifle. That fact has led many to argue for another assault weapons ban. But data from the U.S. Department of Justice and the Congressional Research Service show mixed evidence that the 1994-2004 ban reduced overall gun violence. Additionally, most gun crimes in Minnesota involve handguns, not rifles.

Yes, Minnesota has a problem. Gun deaths in our state rose by 35% over the past decade, reaching a record 573 in 2021. About 73% of those were suicides, and about 24% were homicides though often concentrated in a few neighborhoods.

In Minnesota, about 27% of children live in single-parent homes. Nationally, roughly 70% of juveniles in state custody come from fatherless households. Children raised without stable parental presence are significantly more likely to join gangs, commit crimes and carry firearms illegally.

Gang involvement drives much of the gun violence that affects our cities. The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention notes that youth gun crimes have risen sharply in recent years, especially in neighborhoods suffering from poverty, family instability and failing schools. If we truly care about reducing violence, we must strengthen families, mentor young men and restore accountability, not just pass another ban that criminals will ignore.

Minnesotans deserve safety and freedom. Here’s how we get there:

We don’t need more bureaucracy, new taxes or unconstitutional gun grabs. We need accountability, moral leadership and respect for the rule of law.

Moertel’s compassion for victims is genuine. But policy built on grief alone often fails. We can debate tough issues without demeaning each other’s intelligence or faith.