Joe Bartozzi
Yeah, I mean, I tend to be an optimistic person generally. But I'm afraid we've devolved into these into these camps that tend to talk past each other.
I mean, at the end of the day, everybody wants safer communities.
Nobody wants so-called gun violence. Okay, nobody wants that.
But the question is how do we arrive at a solution?
Unfortunately, any productive debate is being tarnished by the political machinery getting in the way. Their rhetoric gets in the way of productive dialogue.
But, I will tell you I, I testified at a hearing in Connecticut just a couple of days ago. And, you know, it's always contentious.
But at the end of the day, there were certain folks that I didn't expect to kind of, at least acknowledge what we were trying to say. That was at least a little glimmer of hope.
On the national front, I think if certain politicians would stop with the rhetoric, we could realize and recognize that there's more that unites us than divides us.
As a nation, we'd be far better off.
Calling the firearm industry “the enemy” is profoundly counterproductive. And it just sets brother against brother, we don't need that. Nobody needs that. The nation does not need that.
Are there things we can do?
Yeah, I mean, look at our Real Solutions Program. You know, our “Don't Lie” and “Fix Nix,” things that are actually keeping guns out of the wrong hands, “Operation Secure Store,” “Project Child Safe.” I mean, the Veterans Administration holds us up as the model by which public private relationships ought to be.
That says a lot to me… even if we're not getting the credit for it in the media. I know there are federal agencies that actually appreciate what we're doing and what we bring to the table.
So again, I try not to despair.
But there are these glimmers of hope, that make me believe that you know, what we we are trying to put together real, not political, but real solutions, that actually will help keep guns out of the wrong hands and ultimately save lives.
And, you know, they don't want to hear it. They don't want to acknowledge it.
But I know it's there. And it is having an effect.
And that's that's what that's what gives me at least some optimism for the future.