by Andrew Wyshner ’18, Commentary Editor

The tragic events in Parkland have sparked yet another heated debate on the Second Amendment and to what degree guns should be controlled in America. While it is a small gain that people are now discussing legislative change, it is disheartening that a truly awful event must occur in order for people to be able to discuss the issue of gun control. What is baffling is that gun control, like many other topics, is difficult to talk about, but the government and many people in general tend to adamantly refuse to engage in any debate over the issue. In a recent joint meeting between Think Tank, Young Republicans, and Young Democrats, Dr. DiBianca raised this issue, confused why Newark Academy is able to so easily have controversial and difficult discussions about the topic while society as a whole, and most importantly, our government, is unable to. I have thought about why this is the case at great length since then, and I have come to no definitive conclusion. However, I have found several possible factors: the media, the current American political culture, and the need for politicians to appease their constituents.

The media is biased toward their agendas, and people will watch or read the news that supports their own personal agendas. As a result, everyone is able to find a news outlet that reinforces their viewpoints. This creates a toxic environment in which each individual is wholeheartedly convinced that their sentiments are correct. This alone is a significant issue, but the greater issue is that this confirmation bias causes people on all sides to believe that those who disagree are simply incorrect. Moreover, they often label those dissenters as evil, anti-American, and far worse. The ability of a news outlet to display selective arguments and facts is a right granted by freedom of the press, and I will never say that a specific media organization must stop championing their agenda. However, an individual’s reluctance to engage and interact with different viewpoints plants the seeds of hatred against differing viewpoints and grows into a divided culture in which no meaningful discourse can occur. In recent weeks, this divided culture has escalated to the point that some corporations are considering ceasing business with and offering different rates for those with certain views on guns. In the end, though, it is not the media causing the divisions between Americans but that common Americans shelter themselves amongst those with identical views.

In addition to common Americans struggling to address this debate, the government is wholly unable to tackle it. Upper School Principal Dr. DiBianca offered his extensive analysis on why this is the case:

“In the case of ‘gun control,’ the reason for the deafening silence among legislators is likely the political power wielded by the well-funded NRA lobby. But it is precisely this state of affairs that is antithetical to a well-functioning democracy. To me, the problem is bigger than the gun issue and it is wholly systemic.

In his Second Treatise of Government, political philosopher (and inspiration to America’s founding fathers) John Locke described a legislature as ‘not only the supreme power of the commonwealth, but sacred and unalterable in the hands where the community have once placed it.’ When it yields its power to lobby groups, the US Congress falls pitifully short of its ‘sacred’ purpose. Legislators shirk their duties as leaders and lawmakers due to their communication paralysis.

There seem to be plenty of topics that the US Congress is unwilling to discuss because the discussion itself threatens deep-pocketed lobbyists on whom politicians depend for financial support. This problem is not new. Plato warned us away from this situation twenty-five centuries ago in The Republic when he described the ideal state in which wealth was kept wholly separate from and subservient to the ruling power so as not to pollute it.

Gun control may be the issue of the moment that Congress can’t discuss, but I bet there is a long list. Imagine a Democratic member of Congress trying to start a conversation about reducing the power of Unions or a Republican member of Congress trying start a conversation about taxing religious organizations. While both may have real concerns (perhaps budgetary) at heart and good ideas in mind, both would be taking their political lives in their hands simply by talking.

If, however, there were effective campaign finance laws that did as Plato envisioned and if there were such things as closed door discussions, imagine what 535 American leaders of goodwill could accomplish by talking openly to one another without fear.”

Our country is at a crossroads. Nearly everyone acknowledges that America faces many monumental issues, with one of the largest being gun control, but even so it is nearly impossible to discuss meaningful change. Whether this “communication paralysis” originates from a toxic political environment, biased media coverage, or a flawed political system, it is easy to see that there is a sizable issue with our country being unable to discuss controversial topics. There is no easy or clear solution to this problem, but, within the NA community, we must continue to do what we can by discussing the controversial topics that concern our nation.