JMN2017 Woman With Rifle, Oil on canvas, 18 x 24 in. (c) 2018 James Mansfield Nichols. All rights reserved.

There’s an alternative to facilitating gun silencer purchases as Congress has considered. It would be to promote noise-canceling earbuds for fans of gun sport, thus not suppressing noise and flash.

Hobbyist shooters would be protected from compromised hearing, while civilians finding themselves targets of hostile fire in clubs and concerts would have a better chance of ducking from it — perhaps even returning fire.

Not a perfect solution — there would likely be casualties — but fewer, one hopes. This is America. We can find a way forward.

JMN2017 Woman With Revolver, Oil on canvas, 18 x 24 in. (c) 2018 James Mansfield Nichols. All rights reserved.

(Copyright 2018 James Mansfield Nichols. All rights reserved.)