There are some very scary things happening the world right now and we would all do well to slow our rolls a little and spend a little more time thinking and a little less time raising our particular flags. As a nation, I'd like to put us in time out.
My first political memory is a Republican one. Putting "Reagan Round-Up" stickers on my bike back in '84. I voted for Bush, both times and while there were things I didn't agree with, I never doubted that, even misguided, he was doing everything with the best of intentions. Unfortunately, the best of intentions sometimes don't amount to a hill of beans and as I got older and my world view changed, so did many of my political notions. However, to be honest, I only voted for Obama once. I always liked him, but I was unsure back in '08 if his campaign was absolute and he would be a good leader for the nation or if millions of people were knee deep in the hoopla and not sure what HOPE they were backing.
Happily, my fears were unfounded and I proudly cast my vote in 2012 and helped turn Indiana blue for the first time in as long as anyone can remember. I like the guy, I like the way he presents himself, I love the way he's handled himself both personally and as a leader. Some of his policies aren't the best, but they are a good and earnest start...and fuck people...we need to start somewhere.
Doesn't hurt his wife is a badass as well. \
So it BOTHERS me, greatly, that segments of our citizenship feel that they can insult and downright degrade the PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES. You don't have to like him, but you do have to respect him. He is the PRESIDENT, for fucks sake. You don't tell the actual MOST POWERFUL MAN IN THE WORLD to "go back to Kenya" or wish him to have his daughter raped. You don't tell a 15 year old TEENAGER that her "real parents probably sold her." That is sick and twisted.
To those people, I say, you are part of the problem. You're in time out.
Some guy, for some reason we don't fully understand and may not ever fully understand, bought a high powered gun, a shit ton of ammo and felt brazen enough to walk in the middle of a club where people were dancing and kill 50 of them and injury 50 more. The fact that can even happen is seriously fucked up.
Does it matter if he was a radicalized Muslim or a gay Muslim with a serious faith issue or just a pissed off crazy person? I say, no. It makes no difference, in this case. He was an American citizen, so Donald's whole idea of shutting down our countries doors to Muslims (which may seem like a good idea in theory, but we know how the internment camps turned out and I beg of our nation to not forget our own lessons)wouldn't keep this guy out. He was born in New York.
The fact that he was a known entity, for whatever reason, to the FBI and there was no cause for pause when he suddenly needed a big gun and a lot of ammo...that's unnerving. Fight me on other things, but know that this is true: No one wakes up one morning, buys a high powered weapon and a ton of ammo that DOESN'T have bad things on his agenda.
...and I'm tired...tired of the same old arguments from the same old gun owners.
I say this as girl who spent many of her formative years living in Texas, where virtually EVERYONE was "casually armed". It was quite a shock to my mother at a Junior League meeting once to discover that she was the only un-armed person at the table.
Guns are not going anywhere. They are not going to outlaw their ownership or demand you turn in your guns...and while I totally feel your "slippery slope" logic...we have to start somewhere. This is a fixable problem, but everyone is going to have to have to have a hand in and stop seeing just where their rights end, but where others' rights begin. You have the right to buy a firearm. I have the right to not get shot by one.
Yes, criminals don't follow laws. But we have to start somewhere. Purchasing a weapon does not need to have an "instant gratification" element. Slow your roll.
Assess yourself and realize the only reason to own a gun from the "AK" or "AR" collection is because you want to shoot a whole bunch of things very quickly...or because you think it makes you a little bit of a badass to have one. You are NOT purchasing this gun for your own safety to defend your home front, you're doing it with a delusion of grandeur. Check your cock at the door, you are not taking this gun hunting with the boys.
I support your right to have your gun on your hip or in your purse or on your person. I did grow up in the south. But the fact that you have it makes me feel no safer in public. It actually does the opposite. I don't know you. I don't know if you're one xxanx away from a breakdown or a former military officer with years of training. I see your gun and (first think "god what a dipshit") think "I hope this guy is stable and doesn't get irate in the drive through...or we are all fucked."
To be completely honest, if your firearm is not accompanied by a uniform of some sort, I promise you, about 50% of the people you see on the street who see your gun, think you are some sort of dork, myself included. Fight me on this all you want...and if it makes you feel better, strap on that pistol, but know that instances where a "good guy with a gun" stops a "bad guy with a gun" are extremely rare. That's why we know about them at all. They are rare enough to be newsworthy. Just ask the guy in Tucson who almost shot the wrong person in the mayhem of a Senator being shot. It's Arizona, people are packin' heat...yet the one guy who tried to be a "good guy with a gun" almost killed an innocent bystander. That's more than a whoops.
Miss me with your 2nd Amendment argument as well. Let's get some context around the situation and realize that our young nation had just fought to actually be a nation, so having an organized militia was of considerable importance, in case the Brits came back for another round. Times have changed, homeboy...the Brits aren't coming. And while you speak loudly of the "Obama boogey man" sneaking into your gunsafe under the cover of darkness...the "Lib-tards" aren't actually coming for your guns. Here's some shocking news.
If Obama and his cronies are trying to jump in your left pocket, then the NRA is trying to jump into your right. Make no mistake, the very government you are trying to protect yourself from and you claim to be against, is very controlled by the NRA; an organization I presume you love.
Governing is about choosing. About finding that place in the middle where everyone is a little uncomfortable and everyone gave up something. It's about me starting to walk your way, you start walking mine...to further quote Diamond Rio, "we'll gain a lot of ground, if we both give a little."
...and we have a lot of ground to gain.
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