I find it telling that the weapon of choice for mass shootings like last week's massacre in Florida is also one of the most sought-after man toys in America today.

Even in northern Dallas suburbs like the one I live in, assault rifles are right up there with pickup trucks when it comes to high-status "accessories" we lust after.

Why?

Certainly most of us don't need them. Unless you include squirrels, there are no terrorists lurking in my subdivision that warrant arming ourselves with military-grade weaponry. Nor do most of us have anything to haul that won't fit in a midsize SUV.

But we certainly want them for two very simple, selfish reasons: (1) they give us pleasure, and (2) they make us feel strong and in control.

The first reason is sophomoric but harmless. There is nothing inherently wrong with driving around in big trucks or making a lot of noise and blowing things up with guns, as long it's done legally and safely.

It's the second reason that's darker and more problematic. Despite what they might tell you, too many men, especially white men, are far more threatened today by their loss of power and status in society than by the possibility of a physical attack on their lives or property.

And guns, especially assault rifles, are an easy way to maintain a sense of control in a rapidly changing culture that is constantly telling us we aren't and to get over it.

I understand the attraction of large, powerful vehicles and weapons. I own several guns and enjoy hunting and go to the range. Likewise, I lust after friends' tricked-out pickups. But I believe there are better ways to face my insecurities than with 4-wheel-drive and big banana clips.

I'm not suggesting banning assault rifles. If such weapons make you happy and calm your fears, then by all means, keep them. What I'm proposing is that we regulate them like we regulate our pickups.

I've yet to hear a gun-rights advocate complain about the need to get a driver's license, register his truck, insure it, and pay for its annual inspection.

Why not do the same with assault rifles? Require owners to go through training and periodically prove their proficiency. Require that their weapons be registered, insured and secured. Hand down heavy fines for violations.

Simple as such an approach sounds, there's no need to rush out and stock up on more weapons. It won't find its way into law any time soon.

Like many gun owners, our mainly white male lawmakers in Austin and Washington also fear the loss of power and control. But their weapon of choice for protecting that power when it comes to gun regulations is simply maintaining the status quo.

Sadly, their fears and inaction — their refusal to take a stand, even one as straightforward as this — are far more disturbing than the fears and actions of those who are buying assault rifles, weapons that for the most part are locked in gun safes 50 weeks out of each year.

Groundless though I think they are, the fears of gun-buying Americans I can understand. And although I disagree with their approach to addressing them, I respect their right to arm themselves.

What I don't respect are those men who hold the power to minimize the danger of these weapons, but who choose instead to selfishly preserve their own position. Men who, sadly, aren't man enough to do the right thing.

What's your view?

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