The last few weeks we have witnessed amazing cognitive dissonance in our President. Flavored e-cigs are deemed to be a health risk and may be banned or regulated. Good move! On the other hand, regulation of assault rifles seems to be a taboo. What is different?

People who use Juul accept the risk for themselves unlike the victims of assault rifles where the risk is chosen for them. Using Juul may be a dumb decision, but only they are dying. Juul does seems to have mastered the marketing techniques that Big Tobacco once used to encourage users to ignore the health risks. Big Tobacco had massive advertising campaigns to make smoking seem sexy until eventually cigarette advertising was prohibited. Meanwhile the Washington Post much to its shame runs sleek full page ads to make the Juul product look cool. The Juul manufacturer claims it is merely trying to help cigarette consumers switch from more dangerous tobacco and not trying to attract youth. We know that is a lie as the advertisement below exemplifies. Juul producers well know if the product really is limited to help cigarette smokers switch to e-cigs, there is minimal market potential as former smokers die out.

Now in the case of assault rifles, the victims are different because they didn’t select the risk. Or is going to a theatre, school, church, or restaurant inherently risky behavior? It shouldn’t be. The real difference is the NRA that has Congressional leaders terrified. So terrified, in fact, that they wring their hands and say nothing can be done. I refuse to believe that the country that defeated the Axis, put men on the moon, and won the Cold War cannot do anything about this scourge.

In a Facebook post I lamented the lack of regulation of these weapons. One person asked, “Where do you live? Pakistan?” That is a cute NRA talking point to imply that we are already overly regulated in our country. Of course, those who voice this sentiment have never been to Pakistan. I have been there and unfortunately I find the US is becoming more like Pakistan with the random slaughter, the corruption, and the nepotism. When we have to compare ourselves to Pakistan to come off good, we are in bad shape. Why do these people never compare our violence statistics to Western Europe where gun violence is rare?

I am not arguing to ban guns. Rather they should be exposed to similar regulation like automobiles. You need a license, you pass a test, you need safety inspections, and you have insurance to protect others you may inadvertently injure. Is that really too much to ask of a civilized people?