The news is filled today, with horrible details regarding an
elementary school shooting that left approximately 25 dead, 18 of them young
children. Most of the children were in one kindergarten class. I cannot imagine
the horror in that school, in that room. I don’t want to imagine the inerasable
images left on the minds of the children that survived. It makes me shudder,
makes me ill. I stopped watching for my own mental health.
Facebook, true to its identity as social media, is flowing
with comments. Some are geared towards the sadness for the families, while
others are geared toward gun control.
Typically, I keep my politics to myself. I have made a few
exceptions, however, and this blog is one of them. I sincerely apologize to
anyone I may accidentally offend, as I am writing this pretty darn upset.
I do not understand why we, as Americans, refuse to vote for
higher gun control. Haven’t we seen the proof that our society can’t handle
that kind of freedom with such a lethal weapon? I know… guns don’t kill people,
people do. And it’s not that I disagree with that statement. I don’t actually
think a gun grew legs, walked itself into a school of innocent children and
fired on its own volition. I do fully understand that it was used by a sick and
disturbed individual and that HE was the one who killed those innocent souls.
Those in favor of more relaxed gun laws cite alcohol as an
example. They ask if we blame alcohol for alcoholics. As a consumer of alcohol,
and not an alcoholic, I guess I am living proof of their argument. I drink, but
I don’t drive drunk. If a life is senselessly taken by the actions of a drunk
driver, it’s the driver’s fault. Right? It’s not like the alcohol that criminal
consumed was different than the alcohol I consume. It was ME who created the
distinction. Or rather, my choices.
And I don’t love the idea of massive government control. I
have seen the results of controlling political systems on countries all over
the world and the result isn’t pretty. Do I want that for my life, and for the
life of my children? No way…
But I still don’t understand the gun control resistance. WHY
does the average human being need access to an arsenal of weapons when they are
not a business that mandates the need? Police… fine. Military… fine. Those in
rural areas that utilize guns for their farming (or related) business… fine. But
the average citizen?
Why? Tell me why you need those weapons. Why does the city
dweller need an Uzi? Would it kill you to sacrifice your right to that weapon
for the greater good of our society, for the increased safety of our children?
And I know… ideally we wouldn’t have to give up those
rights. Ideally, our civilization would be civilized enough to handle our
weapons (all our weapons) responsibly. Ideally, we would tread our own paths,
respecting each other as we go. We do
not live in that world, however, and I would gladly give up many of my “rights”
to guarantee my children’s safety in school, in life. Because it’s not about
what I want, what I think I deserve.
It’s about all of us.
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