I'm done. I'm done being sensitive to people with an opposing view. I'm done being careful what I say so as to not offend friends & clients. I'm done being appalled by the senseless horror of yet another "shooting". I'm done being quiet about the need for some efforts on gun control. I'm done.
I dare any rational, intelligent, compassionate person to visualize the look on a small child's face just as a man fires a bullet into their head...and then respond with some defense of gun ownership. No outrageous cliches, no fascist fear fantasies, no generational beliefs, no regional cultures, no ridiculous self-defense arguments. No, none of them make much sense anymore. We do not live in the year 1812, the wild wild west, or Nazi Germany. I'm done
And please, for the love of God, don't embarrass yourself by wrapping the flag and Second Amendment around you to insist we must uphold the "right of citizens to keep and bear arms." The concept that we are somehow safer as a society by allowing the possession of guns is now as archaic as slavery or the lack of equal rights for women were. Just a couple of examples of societal concepts that were just as strongly defended by our populace...until we came to the realization as a people that we had simply been wrong.
I'm a political centrist and an admitted social liberal, who generally feels personal responsibility should be enough to make our society and the world we live in civil & safe without the need for constant governmental oversight. I do believe the assaults are about the individual first, and I'm fully aware attempts at gun control have mostly failed. I do believe the extreme threats to us all come primarily from assault weapons, and have never seen sportsmen or handgun owners as the problem...but I just can no longer accept the status quo. I'm done.
So I will now support anyone, from any party, at any time, anywhere to change the laws & eliminate guns. Hopefully my Grandson will look back on gun ownership as a former "right", and hopefully he won't be gunned down by someone before it happens.
