I confess I am fearful of wading into the topic of gun control, even in the wake of the disgusting tragedy in Las Vegas.

Already this shooting has faded from the headlines. Last week there were at least a few headlines about token Republicans saying they would be open to banning bump stocks or, at least, “looking into” bump stocks. What is there to look into? The NRA jumped in too, but the last thing I recall seeing about any looming regulation was that the NRA does not support a full ban on bump stocks.

I can feel the Las Vegas event already fading into the lengthy list of mass shootings, which haven’t produced an ounce of meaningful gun regulation. I so often think of the saying, if Sandy Hook didn’t change anything, nothing will. So, I too, expect nothing to happen in the wake of LV.

Well, nothing except this one thing. The NRA’s grip on politicians and gun rights voters will increase. The fear of the other, the fear of government, and the strong belief in conspiracy theories among the most fervent gun rights advocates and the NRA will grow its roots deeper in the people already in its grasp, from politicians to voters.

I heard about one person, a musician present in Las Vegas who now believes we should have more gun regulation in this country. One. Person. We are so entrenched in our beliefs that I could tell you to a T who would “like” an Instagram of mine from last week that featured a picture of Congress with the caption, “These cowards will probably do nothing again.” I was right.

The politician is bought by the NRA with a bone-in, dry-aged ribeye or by a campaign donation. The person who argues again and again against any increase in gun regulation is, in my opinion, ruled by an irrational fear.

I too have a fear of mass shootings, not necessarily of me being a victim in one, but of anyone else being a victim in one. I believe this is a rational fear.

I close with another irrational fear. The fear of Sudafed. The fear that we are all going to turn into Walter White if you sell us a couple boxes of it.

“Can I get 2 boxes of Sudafed?”

“Sorry, by law you can only buy one at a time.”

“Okay then just the one box of Sudafed and these 7 guns.”

@TheNardvark