Friday, July 20, 2012

What We Have Sown


It happened again. This time it was a movie theater in Aurora, Colorado. The toll this time – 12 dead, 59 wounded.

Was the shooter disturbed, possibly deranged? Probably.

Was it tragic? Absolutely.

Was it shocking?

No.

If this shocks you, then my only question is, how many more incidents will it take for you to get over your shock? This is just the latest on a sad series of incidents, a series that is not going to stop, not any time soon.

This country is armed to the teeth. Many consider the Second Amendment sacrosanct. Any politician that even hints at proposing to limit access to guns is a targeted (pun intended) person. The NRA has a stranglehold-lock on our political process. Guns are as American as mom and apple pie.

Well, this is the result.

I know. Guns don’t kill people; people kill people…if guns are outlawed only outlaws will have guns…the vast majority of gun owners are responsible…

And on and on the excuses and rationalizations go. Do me a favor. Save them. I don’t need to hear them. I’ve heard them.

This is a lost cause. As much as I abhor guns, and, just for clarification, I have lived 53 years in this country, in large cities like Miami, Houston and Orlando without ever having to fire a gun, I can’t do anything about it. Except to express how much this sickens me. It sickens me that this is our value system – being armed to the teeth is an American value.

And I know this paints me as some kind of tree-hugging Liberal. What-fucking-ever. Label me however you want. I don’t care anymore.

Columbine. Virginia Tech. Gabby Giffords. George Zimmerman. Aurora. And those are just the more notable incidents. People have been shot down in churches, on playgrounds, in malls, in schools…and in movie theaters.

The defense is, these people are unstable!

Gee, you think?

But you have to understand something. In this country, unstable people have easy access to guns. That is the price we pay to pack heat. Now, I’m sure you, reading this, are a very responsible gun owner. Just understand something – this gives me no solace whatsoever. It is not you I am worried about.

It’s the next person who will spray bullets into a crowd that I may be a part of.

It will happen again.

And again. And do not tell me you’re shocked when this happens. That’s bullshit.

It’s inevitable.

My hope is one day enough people will have had enough of the slaughter in the name of ‘Rights.’ Remember, you have no rights. You have privileges granted to you by the people in power.

I only pray the privilege of owning a gun one day is relegated to the history books.

This latest incident in Aurora is not shocking. It’s collateral damage.

Get used to it.

2 comments:

Douglas 'The Mayor' Long said...

All in all life happens death happens...sickos exist in all walks of life, that is why I am applying for a concealed weapon permit and if someonr in Colorado had a permit they would have shot this sicko before he killed or injured those unfortunate innocent victims...rise up America! Buy more gun, if you are responsible enough to carry one...do it concealed! And when the sickos begin to realize that even the innocent are armed, then less people will try this kind of action. After all is that not the purpose of the 2nd amendment, to protect our GOD given freedom from those who wish to strike us in our country, homes, schools, churches, theaters, etc. etc. We all need to pray for the victims of insanity and terrorism at all levels!

Jerry B said...

Doug, couple of things. First, when the bullets start flying I run, whether I got a gun on me or not. I'm not going to go John Wayne on his ass, and further, I don't think it will stop 'sickos' from doing their thing. Think about it - I bet chances were good, since Colo is a concealed-weapons state, that someone in that theater had a gun, so where were they when the bullets stated flying? If they were like me, they were gone as fast as they could.

Secondly, we have no "God" given rights. If we do, what are they? Life, Liberty, owning a gun? Those were granted by our government. Only Americans have those "Rights". If they were God-given, then what does He have against North Koreans?

No, what we have are a malleable collection of privileges granted to us by the people in power, and those privileges can be easily taken away. Liberty? Google Japanese Internment 1942. Freedom? Google Patriot Act. Freedom of Speech? Google Kent State.