Friday, December 14, 2012

Gun Violence

I'm writing out of frustration and grief and won't think this through as carefully as perhaps I should...  so just some random thoughts...

Evidently some right wing preacher has already commented that God didn't step in and stop the murders of children because "God doesn't go where God isn't welcome," i.e. public schools.  What utter, utter nonsense.  I really don't even know how to respond to this idea except to say that it is ridiculous.  This is obscene.  This is blasphemous.

I'm frankly waiting to read the crazies who say that Obama planned this as a way to take away their guns.    And then there will be the slightly less crazy who will say that this is exactly what Obama was hoping for so he could take away their guns.  It hasn't happened yet (that I'm aware of) but I fully expect it.

I do hope that our leaders see this as a final impetus to do real gun control reform.  Yes, I know "guns don't kill people, people kill people," but it is pretty difficult to bring about this level of violence without a gun.  And yes, I know there is more going on here than just guns.  We obviously had a very troubled young man... who never would have been able to perpetrate that degree of violence without guns.   I have read the 2nd amendment - "A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed."  Frankly, I see nothing in that sentence that says anything at all about any person who wants a gun having the right to go out and purchase one.  It is well past the time when we need serious and significant regulations regarding the ownership of guns, of ammunition, and of the production of both. 

These children and adults did not have to die.  We can choose to make it next to impossible for this type of violence to happen again or we can allow groups like the NRA to continue their ridiculous propaganda and give in to their completely irresponsible ideas.

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