Two Years After Newtown, Is There Hope?

Two years ago this past weekend, a crazed gunman went into an elementary school in Newtown, Connecticut, and killed dozens of children. In the period after that event, over 90% of Americans supported gun regulation changes to make sure that the mentally ill and criminal elements would have a harder time getting guns. In a few states, including New York and Colorado, laws were passed. Nationally though, nothing happened. Even a very tepid bill with bi-partisan backing in the U.S. Senate couldn't get a final vote. The issue appeared to die.

This week though, there is a small sign of hope. The NRA had been opposing Dr. Vivek Murthy's nomination to be the U.S. Surgeon General because he once called gun violence a public health issue.  For 17 months, the nation had no Surgeon General, basically because the NRA said so. Murthy, to be clear, isn't really an anti-gun activist, or even involved in the issue prior to this, so his nomination should not be considered a "gun" law fight, but well, it was.

And in accordance with such, Murthy's confirmation by the Senate is a big victory. Any win against the NRA for gun-control advocates is a big victory. The NRA scored this vote, and Murthy still got 51 votes. That's quite a victory.

I wouldn't over-read it though. This isn't gun regulation, this isn't a vote on universal background checks. It's a small victory over a powerful lobby. It's a good win. It's a sign for some small amount of hope on moving this issue. It's not the light at the end of the tunnel though.