A glass of good American whiskey, sipped clean, and conversation with my Grandpa.

He’s a veteran of the Korean War and talks like a borderline socialist. He rarely goes more than 10 minutes without mentioning the failures of the far right. His views are biased and sometimes skewed.

But he’s intelligent and keeps himself informed, reading the “The New York Times,” “Time” magazine and “The Economist.” He watches various news stations with the fanatical tenacity of a religious extremist who’s memorized his Holy Bible. He owns his own firearms and used to let me shoot his pellet gun.

As for me, I am a gun-toting, deer-hunting Democrat who loves popping off a few clips into a hillside littered with aluminum cans and discarded cartridges.

I own four firearms: a .22, a 25-20, a 30-30 and a 410 shotgun. I hold no grudges against Tea-partiers or libertarians, Republicans or Ralph Nader.

I am, however, disturbed by America’s fascination with firearms and the dangers they pose to well-intentioned, untrained citizens.

My grandfather mentions how quick police are to shoot rather than disarm. “Shooting doesn’t keep the peace,” he says.

He wants to see gun laws tighten up; he wants to see the sale of firearms restricted. He wants full background checks, licenses issued and the size of magazines restricted. He doesn’t understand why police need so much firepower on their person.

We turn on the news to find that a young black male was shot dead in Ferguson, Miss. by a white policeman, Darren Wilson.

The victim, 18-year-old Michael Brown was, and remains, unarmed. Though now he’s unarmed and dead.

My grandfather and I sit in silence, taking in the weight of the Michael Brown shooting. We finish our glasses of whiskey, each of us wondering how this recent act of aggressive manslaughter will affect gun laws in this country.

Perhaps it goes against our coveted Second Amendment to regulate the buying and selling of firearms. But I think it’s time we do what’s best for the children of our nation. According to the Brady Campaign website, “In 2007, more pre-school-aged children (85) were killed by guns than police officers.”

I am by no means suggesting that firearms be made illegal; in the face of the gun violence that plagues this great country, my grandfather and I will continue to own and use firearms to hunt for sustenance, shoot aluminum cans and to protect ourselves from the dangers of the wilderness.

I only want to see the lives of the innocent preserved, as it is our children who will define the future of this nation.