The Convening of the Citizens Commission on American Gun Violence

   "Welcome, my friends, to the Citizens Commission on American Gun Violence. You have been assembled with the simple task of deciding what to do about gun violence in America. As you know, Congress has failed to find solutions. Our president has failed to find solutions. So, the problem now falls in your lap."

  The moderator looked around to see if he had every member's attention. He did, so he continued.

  "As you know, nobody of any authority has called you to this commission. I and some others just decided we would form a citizens commission to get to the bottom of this, to find out if guns should be outlawed, passed out to everyone -- or just what should be done. All these marches and protests nationwide following the school shooting down in Florida have made one thing clear: Something must -- must -- be done. Now, before you can do something, you have to decide what you are going to do -- right? So, you, as the citizens commission will decide just what it is that should be done -- if anything. Then, we will take your decisions -- your solutions -- and we will take them to the streets and to the halls of Congress and demand that these changes be passed into law."

   In addition to the commission members, there was a large audience in attendance, and everyone broke into a cheer.

   The moderator held out his hands, palms down, to quiet them.

   "Nobody authorized this commission and you have no authority," the moderator yelled over the cheers of the crowd. "Your only authority is the logic and good reasoning you use to make your decision. Your only authority is the urgency that something needs to be done. Your only authority is the power of what is right. For authority, we will use the power of free speech. We will take your decision to the streets, and to Washington, and we will demand that these things be done."

   Again, the crowd broke into cheering. Again, the moderator held out his hands, then spoke over the cheering. "Now, hold on. Here is the trick: You must be open to considering this as if for the first time. Consider the question of guns brand new. Be fair and open-minded. You must be willing to consider both sides, all sides, and any new side that might come up. What I mean, is that if we are going to leave here with the right on our side, and demand that the right things be done, then you are going to have to come up with the right decision -- or as close to the right decision as all open-minded and fair-minded reasoning will allow you to."

   "We'll do that!" someone shouted from the back of the audience, as if speaking for the commission.

   "You are like a jury -- no -- you are a jury. You will remain here until you reach a decision. You will sleep in the hotel across the street and reconvene each day until a verdict is reached. You will start by hearing all the evidence, all the concerns, all the arguments for and against. You will watch the videos discussing gun laws in Japan versus gun laws in the U.S. and gun laws in Australia versus the U.S. You will watch the counter videos. You will watch videos about how guns are necessary for the preservation of a free society, and of how the Second Amendment grants the right to keep and bear arms. Hey, we are going to even show you a few quick clips from "Red Dawn." You will search YouTube for more videos and search the Internet for more information."

    The moderator paused, but only briefly.

   "I'd like you to keep all this study to about a day. You really should be able to hear all the arguments in 12 hours of hearing. So, if you feel you have studied enough after today, we will re-adjourn tomorrow to start establishing what should be done. Again, I would expect quick action. I'm hoping you will quickly spell out what needs to be done, and arrive at all your answers during that second day. But if you do need more time, that's up to you."

   He paused to pick up a piece of paper that had fallen to the ground, then continued.

   "Decide what can be done, what should be done, and what is legal under the Second Amendment. Decide how we can strengthen the Second Amendment -- if that is your decision.
   "You are the people, and in America, we trust the people to do the thinking. None of you were invited to sit on this commission because you are police officers, or social counselors, or lawyers. In America, the common people can think as well as those with pedigrees and credentials and degrees. You are a citizens committee in every sense of the word."

   Smiling, he concluded, "So get at it."