Couched in the guise of an inherent right to protection, the promoters of the carnage prevail. Those who cherish these small and shiny possessions, clutch them as they echo the refrains of the purveyors of destruction. Neither the ones who make the false claims, nor those who repeat them, appear to consider the atmosphere of mayhem that their immoderate stance has produced.
The Office T-Shirts - It's supposed to be funny not emulated, folks!
As with any fraud, where the convincing of the dupe is required, overarching themes are condensed into easy to remember, easy to spout slogans that are intended to encapsulate the hook of the ruse in a manner that is palatable to the simple-minded masses. One such phrase has endured:
“Guns don’t kill people, people kill people.”
More dreadfully appalling words have never been strung together, in that they have eased the way to the disordered scenario where guns are viewed as a means to an end rather than what they actually are: an end for those with modest mental means.
The self same people who aggressively champion the rights of the unborn care little of the life that is ended by a bullet.
Link to PDF Source - US Dept Health & Human Svcs.
Roughly, 30,000 people in the United States have their lives ended, each year, by firearms.
Who speaks for these silenced 30,000?
This is not written as an examination of Constitutional rights, as I have neither the basis in law nor the inclination to debate whether the current ills of our society were foreseen by those who penned The Bill of Rights. Yet I know that there is often a vast difference between having the right to do something and whether the thing that is being done is, in fact, the right thing to do.
Many examples of this dichotomy exist.
This post is also not about statistics, as both sides of the argument can readily produce data that “proves” their stance. However, I’d venture to say that an overwhelmingly high percentage of registered gun owners have never had occasion to defend themselves with their cherished weaponry.
So why the amped-up support for them?
I grew up in some pretty tough neighborhoods in New York, Bed-Sty and the South Bronx to name two, and I’ve seen the damage that too many guns in too many hands can do.
More guns cannot be the solution.
The viral campaign ad video by Dale Peterson who is running for Agriculture Commissioner, in Alabama, illustrates the absurdity of linking guns to toughness. Figuring out why an elected official would need a rifle to do his job is beyond me.
It seems to me that gun owners believe that carrying a gun makes them tough. The opposite is true. Merely possessing the means to play God does not enhance your ability to deal with adversity. To face what life brings without an arsenal as a crutch is a far more courageous way to live.
Assault Rifle - Suitable For Hunting Squirrels
Finally, if you are one who believes that you must remain armed in case you have to protect yourself against an overreaching government, you should not own a gun, for you have issues and are in need of treatment.
Please seek assistance.
Still, for now, if you choose to walk into any gun show, you too can own a firearm. Strap one on and add some strut to your step. Your purchase will give you the ability to effortlessly take a life.
Congratulations.
Author Bio:
Ray Colon has written 136 posts on Ray's Blog.
He works with numbers for a living, but don't judge - boring accountants need love too. His blog has no niche (unless writing about things that are important to him is a niche). Some folks cringe when he gets “all political” on them, but he does it anyway when he's in that kind of mood. Sometimes, he writes something nice about someone, but you shouldn't get used to that. His first book, the one he hasn't written yet, is not available on Amazon. Subscribe to Ray's Blog via RSS or Email.
