I can tell you as a former teacher I would do anything to protect the pupils in my care. But if I was a teacher now and was expected to protect them with a gun, you'd have to pay me, at the very least, the salary of a police officer in addition to my teacher's salary. If I had to be someone who works two professions, I better be paid that way! And of course the multimillion dollar NRA would never put up the money to pay for all the security they're proposing for schools.
Given my background regarding how I feel about guns, (see my previous post of January 22nd) never in a million years would I take up a gun thinking that I would really be able to shoot the damn thing straight enough to take the bad guy out. So, arming teachers, most of whom don't want to be armed, is the answer?
And then after we arm teachers, what's the next place to be armed and who? How about arming the ticket takers, ushers and concessionaires at theaters, the cabana people at resorts, waitresses and waiters in all restaurants, all members of sports teams (they'd have to be extra careful not to bump into each other while they carry) T.V. news camera operators while they're filming reporters doing their jobs on scene, cashiers and stock people at grocery stores, all the seniors who walk the halls of the local mall, every medical person in hospitals and clinics, every student in high school and college, everyone in all office buildings from janitors to secretaries to the business people, : in other words, let's make EVERY SINGLE PERSON living in the country carry a gun. Will the F***** gun manufacturers and their parasitic NRA be happy then?????
In light of all the guns then being carried by literally everyone, how many tourists would want to come here? How many scientists, exchange students, business people? When the thought of everyone you pass on the street or in buildings in the United States is carrying and given the huge amount of nut jobs, gang members and generally pissed off assholes who think (and I use that term loosely) the "guvmint" is coming for their guns and stamping on their "rights" roaming the streets who are also carrying (because the NRA is against background checks and closing the gun show loopholes), why would anyone come here? There are other countries to visit that are just as beautiful. There are other ways to do business without actually stepping foot on US soil. There are other universities in other countries just as good as what we have to offer here. There is nothing here in the United States that is not offered by other countries.
And please don't start yelling that we have a democracy..... and freedom..... and rights..... That's a bunch of bullshit. With the crap dished out by the Republican/Tea Party, women's freedom and rights are going down the toilet, along with voting rights, the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. What we have is a desperate war for the very soul of this country and it's being stolen by the rich who don't give a rat's ass for those who are not in their sphere of society. Those bastards must be stopped but given the bazillion dollars being poured into Republican coffers it's an uphill battle. If we have any students left in the coming years who haven't been blown away and haven't been infected by the dumbing down of all things taught in those schools which disdain math, science and critical thinking, maybe, just maybe the future can be saved for the good, the intelligent, the caring, the people who have hearts and souls.
Showing posts with label NRA. Show all posts
Showing posts with label NRA. Show all posts
Monday, February 18, 2013
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
My Take on Guns
Our lives and how we think and perceive things are formed when we are young. My parents, grandparents, surroundings, the city I grew up in, the affluence (or not) of my family, the work my parents engaged in, the activities I participated in, the friends I was close to, the interaction between my friends and me, acquaintances, teachers, camp counselors, the grocers, butcher, the bakery people all contributed to how I turned out.
When I was in the sixth grade, my feelings about guns were forever etched in my mind. I lived in a small city right outside of Boston. Early one morning, I walked to school and saw everyone, and I mean everyone, standing outside the school, some crying, some just shaking, many just silent. I, too, had heard about what happened. There had been a terrible "accident" and the older brother of one of our friends was shot and killed.
A neighbor had been discharged from the army and managed to bring home his gun. He was showing it off, or so the story goes, and it went off. It caught our friend right between the eyes. Accident? None of us thought it was an accident. But, hell, we were young and what did we know. We were all shielded from the details. But it was a small city and most of the city mourned.
A few months later, if I remember correctly, the family moved into the house next door, mother and the two remaining children. I remember "walking on eggs", not ever bringing up the subject. But it was something I thought about, a lot, for a very long time after that. I never knew what happened to the shooter, whether it really was an accident, whether he was charged with anything. I just never knew. But from that time on, I knew that I hated guns. And over the years that has never changed.
And so, the current screaming over "gun control" places me firmly in the "We have to do something about these crazy weapons in the hands of crazy people" camp. I understand those who want to use guns to hunt (I hate hunting), to protect themselves (they are too paranoid). But no one needs a multiple round firearm, no one needs high capacity magazines, and no one needs to be able to fire continuous rounds without stopping......because that person means to do a lot of killing.... of people.
There have been too many killings, accidental or deliberate, to not DO SOMETHING about these weapons. And those who scream about their rights via the Second Amendment just don't get it. They can't get past the horrendous rhetoric of the NRA, an organization which really could do some good but it chooses to galvanize and electrify their minions into believing a total lie: that the government wants to ban all guns. Just how brainwashed are all these people? They are sheep following the wolf (NRA.) Will they finally think twice about their intractable position when one of their children, grandchildren or any member of their family gets in the way of a hail of bullets? When it becomes personal and hits really close to home, will that be enough to soften their hearts and begin to understand how the rest of us feel.
The conversation must take place and a decent compromise reached about the availability of weapons of what must now be known in this country as weapons of mass destruction. Isn't that what happened in Aurora, at Columbine/Littleton, Virginia Tech, Newtown, Connecticut? Mass destruction? For the sake of humanity, let's talk and do some good. Here is a timeline of mass shootings since 1999: http://bit.ly/UjlW7e
This just has to stop!
When I was in the sixth grade, my feelings about guns were forever etched in my mind. I lived in a small city right outside of Boston. Early one morning, I walked to school and saw everyone, and I mean everyone, standing outside the school, some crying, some just shaking, many just silent. I, too, had heard about what happened. There had been a terrible "accident" and the older brother of one of our friends was shot and killed.
A neighbor had been discharged from the army and managed to bring home his gun. He was showing it off, or so the story goes, and it went off. It caught our friend right between the eyes. Accident? None of us thought it was an accident. But, hell, we were young and what did we know. We were all shielded from the details. But it was a small city and most of the city mourned.
A few months later, if I remember correctly, the family moved into the house next door, mother and the two remaining children. I remember "walking on eggs", not ever bringing up the subject. But it was something I thought about, a lot, for a very long time after that. I never knew what happened to the shooter, whether it really was an accident, whether he was charged with anything. I just never knew. But from that time on, I knew that I hated guns. And over the years that has never changed.
And so, the current screaming over "gun control" places me firmly in the "We have to do something about these crazy weapons in the hands of crazy people" camp. I understand those who want to use guns to hunt (I hate hunting), to protect themselves (they are too paranoid). But no one needs a multiple round firearm, no one needs high capacity magazines, and no one needs to be able to fire continuous rounds without stopping......because that person means to do a lot of killing.... of people.
There have been too many killings, accidental or deliberate, to not DO SOMETHING about these weapons. And those who scream about their rights via the Second Amendment just don't get it. They can't get past the horrendous rhetoric of the NRA, an organization which really could do some good but it chooses to galvanize and electrify their minions into believing a total lie: that the government wants to ban all guns. Just how brainwashed are all these people? They are sheep following the wolf (NRA.) Will they finally think twice about their intractable position when one of their children, grandchildren or any member of their family gets in the way of a hail of bullets? When it becomes personal and hits really close to home, will that be enough to soften their hearts and begin to understand how the rest of us feel.
The conversation must take place and a decent compromise reached about the availability of weapons of what must now be known in this country as weapons of mass destruction. Isn't that what happened in Aurora, at Columbine/Littleton, Virginia Tech, Newtown, Connecticut? Mass destruction? For the sake of humanity, let's talk and do some good. Here is a timeline of mass shootings since 1999: http://bit.ly/UjlW7e
This just has to stop!
Friday, December 21, 2012
After Sandy Hook, WHAT?
I know I've been quiet for a while but what can I say that hasn't already been said about the horrific events that occurred at the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut that hasn't already been captured in print, in video, and on all the social networks.
As I started to read about and listen to the unfolding events via Internet and television, I could not hold back the tears as they just poured down my cheeks. As a former Connecticut resident, I knew that Newtown was a place where those who live there do so because of its hominess, its friendliness, its aura of safety. And that vision of the town has been shattered as has the lives of so many of the town's families.
There is no way to make sense of this. There is no answer to the question, why? There is just profound sadness.......... and incredible anger. I cannot bring consolation to those who lost their precious children or to the families of the brave adults who gave the ultimate sacrifice to protect those youngsters they loved.
What I can do is rail against the NRA and those gun owners who continually utter the lie that the government will take away all their guns. No one is advocating taking away your guns. BUT, it's now time to regulate what you can have. The Second Amendment does not say you have the right to own assault weapons or military-type weapons capable of shooting 30 rounds in less than ten seconds!
And I can rail against the dearth of help in this country for those who are mentally ill. Funds have been stripped to the core from agencies who service those with mental health issues.
In our Declaration of Independence, we have the right to the unalienable right of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Those little six and seven year old children never got the chance to pursue happiness because some crazed, mentally ill person had access to guns.
Sane individuals must come together to work out viable solutions without shoving partisan, political and/or religious nonsense down each others throats. This must not be an 'all or nothing' solution.
As I started to read about and listen to the unfolding events via Internet and television, I could not hold back the tears as they just poured down my cheeks. As a former Connecticut resident, I knew that Newtown was a place where those who live there do so because of its hominess, its friendliness, its aura of safety. And that vision of the town has been shattered as has the lives of so many of the town's families.
There is no way to make sense of this. There is no answer to the question, why? There is just profound sadness.......... and incredible anger. I cannot bring consolation to those who lost their precious children or to the families of the brave adults who gave the ultimate sacrifice to protect those youngsters they loved.
What I can do is rail against the NRA and those gun owners who continually utter the lie that the government will take away all their guns. No one is advocating taking away your guns. BUT, it's now time to regulate what you can have. The Second Amendment does not say you have the right to own assault weapons or military-type weapons capable of shooting 30 rounds in less than ten seconds!
And I can rail against the dearth of help in this country for those who are mentally ill. Funds have been stripped to the core from agencies who service those with mental health issues.
In our Declaration of Independence, we have the right to the unalienable right of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Those little six and seven year old children never got the chance to pursue happiness because some crazed, mentally ill person had access to guns.
Sane individuals must come together to work out viable solutions without shoving partisan, political and/or religious nonsense down each others throats. This must not be an 'all or nothing' solution.
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