Why do private citizens need to own assault weapons?
Do we think that right is worth the sacrifice these children and their parents made?
Is that what we think?
We feel the grief and then move on with our lives,
is that how it works?
{NRA very quiet this week.}
Why do we accept violent, nasty, mean-spirited rhetoric
from unsavory and unethical media outlets?
Hyped up, hot rhetoric that has nothing at all to do with real journalism?
Do we not notice that it pervades our society?
That our children are watching and learning from this?
How about violent movies, TV shows and games?
Is this “entertainment?”
Why is violence an acceptable means of resolving conflict?
Violent words, violent actions: is this right?
Is it what we want our youth exposed to?
And then there’s the what seems to be a very obvious surge
in mental health issues among our young people.
Problems that we are ill-equipped to handle.
I’m tired.
Tired of the violence so evident in our society.
Tired of people who seem to think we live in some
anarchistic society where they must protect
themselves with military weapons.
Tired of the NRA and its stupid stance.
Here’s who kills:
People with guns.
Not people alone and not guns alone.
People who can easily buy military-grade weapons.
That’s who kills people.
And one such person executed 20 beloved sons and daughters
and seven adults in Connecticut yesterday.
There’s something wrong in the U. S. of A. but we’re too busy waving the flag or trying to prove that the president is African to understand it much less do anything about it.
It’s not enough to have shattered hearts and fly flags at half mast.
I agree with you with the violence on tv and in games…. It is totally unnecessary!!! We need better healthcare and to address mental illness in a more positive light to make people less ashamed and not fear redicule or criticism or judgement for seeking necessary help. Make the help readily available with trained professionals!!!
There’s something gone awry in society, Carol, and I think there are many causes. I think of this: when I was a teenager in 1950-60, a person could walk into a store and buy off-the-shelf an M1 or M1 carbine, both military weapons circa WW II and Korea. But I cannot remember a mass shooting until the man climbed the tower at the University of Texas and killed several people. It was later discovered he had a brain tumor that had changed his behavior.
The thing is, when the civil rights era came along many ill people were released because mental health institutions had no legal right to hold them. Now most people with severe mental illnesses are (supposedly) medicated and left to live free in society. How many have we seen who aren’t taking proper medication and inflict acts of mass violence?
I don’t know the solution. Society has changed. There is a trend toward excuses/reasons/rationalizations rather than the imposition of personal responsibility.
Then too there are the issues of violence in media and entertainment. We are told that this has no influence on those in society easy to manipulate. Conversely, we are told than sufficient numbers of dollars spent masses of people can be persuaded to buy a particular product. Both points cannot be true.
There has to be some rational and logical way, a way that won’t infringe on the 2nd Amendment, to keep weapons out of the hands of those emotionally or mentally incapable of using them safely and properly.
I’m not sure there is a way to assess the mental health of any individual as a requirement to buy a gun. It’s just not practical. but then again, the original intent of the 2nd Amendment doesn’t really apply today. So much more to say and I just can’t do it yet…but will. thank you both for your comments
Here’s two pieces of info. 1) I think auto and semi autos should NOT BE allowed 2) Every man in Switzerland is armed and is part of the army. THis kind of thing never happens there.
There is something deeper. But #1 will take care of part of the problem, #2 needs deeper analysis.
These issues seem insurmountable, but with positive steps in the right direction, change can occur. Lets continue to demand action from our legislators.
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I agree with you with the violence on tv and in games…. It is totally unnecessary!!! We need better healthcare and to address mental illness in a more positive light to make people less ashamed and not fear redicule or criticism or judgement for seeking necessary help. Make the help readily available with trained professionals!!!
There’s something gone awry in society, Carol, and I think there are many causes. I think of this: when I was a teenager in 1950-60, a person could walk into a store and buy off-the-shelf an M1 or M1 carbine, both military weapons circa WW II and Korea. But I cannot remember a mass shooting until the man climbed the tower at the University of Texas and killed several people. It was later discovered he had a brain tumor that had changed his behavior.
The thing is, when the civil rights era came along many ill people were released because mental health institutions had no legal right to hold them. Now most people with severe mental illnesses are (supposedly) medicated and left to live free in society. How many have we seen who aren’t taking proper medication and inflict acts of mass violence?
I don’t know the solution. Society has changed. There is a trend toward excuses/reasons/rationalizations rather than the imposition of personal responsibility.
Then too there are the issues of violence in media and entertainment. We are told that this has no influence on those in society easy to manipulate. Conversely, we are told than sufficient numbers of dollars spent masses of people can be persuaded to buy a particular product. Both points cannot be true.
There has to be some rational and logical way, a way that won’t infringe on the 2nd Amendment, to keep weapons out of the hands of those emotionally or mentally incapable of using them safely and properly.
I’m not sure there is a way to assess the mental health of any individual as a requirement to buy a gun. It’s just not practical. but then again, the original intent of the 2nd Amendment doesn’t really apply today. So much more to say and I just can’t do it yet…but will. thank you both for your comments
What a heart breaking thing to happen.
Here’s two pieces of info.
1) I think auto and semi autos should NOT BE allowed
2) Every man in Switzerland is armed and is part of the army. THis kind of thing never happens there.
There is something deeper. But #1 will take care of part of the problem, #2 needs deeper analysis.
These issues seem insurmountable, but with positive steps in the right direction, change can occur. Lets continue to demand action from our legislators.