It’s fairly obvious to anybody paying attention to current debates in the United States that this country isn’t as united as its name implies. Numerous ideological camps have developed but they can roughly be divided into advocates of a strong state versus advocates of a weak or nonexistent state. Whenever a debate arises the general answers seem to be either increase the state’s power or decrease the state’s power. Gun control is a prefect example of this divide. After every high profile shooting the gun control debate rears its ugly head once again. One camp wants to the state to increase its power and prohibit private firearm ownership whereas the other camp wants the state to reduce its power and liberalize (using the classic definition of the word) gun laws. The former camp believes these tragedies can be reduced if we just implement one more law whereas the other camp believes these tragedies can only be reduced by increasing the cost of performing violent acts. Little common ground exists between the two camps and their ultimate end goals are mutually exclusive.
As this country has become more and more divided I propose a solution. Those of you wanting to live under an extremely power state should be allowed to do so. I have no interest in preventing somebody achieving happiness. I do ask that you return the favor and consider my happiness by allowing me, and anybody else wanting to, to peacefully seceded from the United States. That’s it. We’ll take it from there. You can have a society devoid of privately owned firearms and we can have a society where individuals are allowed to make their own decisions on what they want to buy. I would like to maintain peaceful relations and maintain a free exchange of ides, travel, and trade but if such an idea truly disgusts you then you can opt out of such an amenable breakup. If treating us like Rome treated the “barbarians” surrounding it brings you joy then who am I to judge?
It’s sad that our differences are so stark because I would really like to live together in harmony or, at least, with an gentlemen’s agreement to disagree by leave each other alone. Unfortunately your side seems determined to rule at the point of a gun (How ironic!). Having a state screaming orders at me while pressing a gun to my temple fills me with unease and is far from preferable. If you would merely do me the service of aiming your state’s violence elsewhere I would be eternally grateful.
I firmly believe that we can work together to make this breakup a friendly ordeal.