Tonight I watched the second debate between two people who want to be our next President. I will make no secret that I will not vote for the Republican candidate under any circumstances; however, I'm not crazy about the Democratic candidate, either.
The debate gave me a blinding headache that only a strong pain killer can take away. That said, I want to express my thoughts before I succumb to the wonderful world of sleep.
This election year has been one of the most divisive I have ever experienced in my memory. I probably could dredge up presidential runs in our pre-television history and find some that could have been worse. Andrew Jackson comes to mind - his run for office was more than his wife could handle and she died from the stress. Jackson never got over it. Of course, Jackson was also a horse's ass, but I digress.
Our country is angry. We have a Congress that is holding our country hostage while they play games with our laws. Open debate on issues can't happen with the mind-set of certain party members "My way or you're wrong."
Our country is starved for work. Jobs are scarce and the ones that are available are only available to a select few. Discrimination is a real thing, by the way. Wages are stagnant and the work world has been turned upside down. Jobs once slated for high school and college students are now held by single parents and/or older workers who can't find work elsewhere. The young college graduates are getting jobs that require the experience and wisdom of older workers, but they are willing to work for less and companies are snapping them up.
Our country is frightened. Which mall will host the next blood bath? Which public venue will literally go out with a bang? Guns in the classroom? Are you serious? Sick people dressed as clowns terrorizing children and communities. What is going on here?
Our country is stressed to the breaking point. We can't meet our bills. The Affordable Care Act is skyrocketing out of control and coverage is dimming. Yes, prices at the gas pump are going down, but utilities are going up. The housing marketing is making a rebound, but many communities are still feeling the pain of the housing market crash.
Tonight the world watched St. Louis host the Presidential debate. And, for a change, we showed the world what we are really made of. A peaceful demonstration paraded through Delmar all the way to Washington University. Many issues were represented, but no violence. No one got hurt. But voices were loud and clear.
We need to come together like this again. We need to express our concerns. I believe each of us has the power to turn this country around. We have the ability to fix these problems and we have the ability to put the right people in government who will hear our voices, and help us fix these problems.
America, I'm scared for our future. But, I'm also hopeful that we can fix what is broken. I believe it all begins in the voting booth.
Thank you.
Showing posts with label guns. Show all posts
Showing posts with label guns. Show all posts
Sunday, October 09, 2016
Friday, June 24, 2016
I'm Still Here
I think I've been quiet long enough now. I needed some time to absorb recent events and sort out the range of emotions that came with those events. So, here goes . . .
Orlando Night Club Massacre
This despicable, heinous act from a lone shooter is beyond words or comprehension. How many more mass shootings do we have to have before someone says enough is enough? How many innocent people need to die because someone legally obtained a military grade weapon and chose to use them for target practice? What is wrong with our world?
Second Amendment Rights
Please don't hand me that worn out argument that the government is taking away your guns. No private citizen needs a military grade weapon of any sort. Period. Deer hunters use rifles or cross bows. Pistols can be used for self-defense.
Let me explain my position on this issue. While I find guns frightening, I know people who own them and those individuals are trust-worthy, law-abiding, responsible gun owners. I have no problem with that. I own a block of kitchen knives and I'm a trust-worthy, law-abiding, responsible knife owner. Possession of these items doesn't automatically make me, or my gun-owning neighbors, a killer.
Some people claim that owning an assault rifle will protect them from attack. From whom? If our country is invaded, our military is trained to handle it and they have far more fire power than you ever thought about. I also like to think that our military has a better grasp on who the enemy is than you do. Are you worried about hordes of zombies? Um, hate to tell you, but I really don't believe in zombies. They are fun for Halloween stories and that's about all. So, what is the purpose of owning something that can kill large groups of people in a matter of seconds?
Extremism/Radicalization
The man who murdered those innocent people had become radicalized through ISIL and apparently acted on his own. These homegrown terrorists are frightening, no doubt. Let me ask this question - what is the difference between radicalization and extremism? It seems to me that both pretty much walk hand in hand or are at least close siblings.
Merriam-Webster defines radicalization as:
To cause (someone or something) to become more radical especially in politics
Extremism is defined as:
Belief in and support for ideas that are very far from what most people consider correct or reasonable
So, here we are. We face an enemy who kills those who don't believe as he does. We have opponents to gun control who feel they must have military grade weapons to fight off bad guys who don't believe the way we do. Hmmm.
The harsh reality for me is this - a terrorist is more likely to strike where he can get the most kills quickly and easily. Your lone military grade weapon won't mean squat against those odds. In fact, you may end up adding to the kills trying to get the bad guy. Do you really want to face that kind of responsibility?
Historic Filibuster
Recently, Connecticut Senator Chris Murphy, a Democrat, held a 14 hour and 50 minute filibuster which ended when GOP leaders finally agreed to allow a vote on two gun control measures. This young senator used one of the many heart-wrenching stories from the Sandy Hook massacre. I'm relieved that there seems to be some recognition of necessary action. However, I'm still disturbed that the GOP would prefer to be friends with the NRA, a powerful lobbying interest, than save the lives of hundreds of innocent American lives. I'm still in shock that nothing happened after Sandy Hook. Nothing happened after any of the other mass shootings. I don't understand this at all.
Call to Action
The senseless slaughter needs to stop. Schools, colleges, places of worship, entertainment venues, places of employ should all be safe havens from violence. Please contact your senators and members of Congress and beg them to vote on keeping military grade weapons off our streets.
Orlando Night Club Massacre
This despicable, heinous act from a lone shooter is beyond words or comprehension. How many more mass shootings do we have to have before someone says enough is enough? How many innocent people need to die because someone legally obtained a military grade weapon and chose to use them for target practice? What is wrong with our world?
Second Amendment Rights
Please don't hand me that worn out argument that the government is taking away your guns. No private citizen needs a military grade weapon of any sort. Period. Deer hunters use rifles or cross bows. Pistols can be used for self-defense.
Let me explain my position on this issue. While I find guns frightening, I know people who own them and those individuals are trust-worthy, law-abiding, responsible gun owners. I have no problem with that. I own a block of kitchen knives and I'm a trust-worthy, law-abiding, responsible knife owner. Possession of these items doesn't automatically make me, or my gun-owning neighbors, a killer.
Some people claim that owning an assault rifle will protect them from attack. From whom? If our country is invaded, our military is trained to handle it and they have far more fire power than you ever thought about. I also like to think that our military has a better grasp on who the enemy is than you do. Are you worried about hordes of zombies? Um, hate to tell you, but I really don't believe in zombies. They are fun for Halloween stories and that's about all. So, what is the purpose of owning something that can kill large groups of people in a matter of seconds?
Extremism/Radicalization
The man who murdered those innocent people had become radicalized through ISIL and apparently acted on his own. These homegrown terrorists are frightening, no doubt. Let me ask this question - what is the difference between radicalization and extremism? It seems to me that both pretty much walk hand in hand or are at least close siblings.
Merriam-Webster defines radicalization as:
To cause (someone or something) to become more radical especially in politics
Extremism is defined as:
Belief in and support for ideas that are very far from what most people consider correct or reasonable
So, here we are. We face an enemy who kills those who don't believe as he does. We have opponents to gun control who feel they must have military grade weapons to fight off bad guys who don't believe the way we do. Hmmm.
The harsh reality for me is this - a terrorist is more likely to strike where he can get the most kills quickly and easily. Your lone military grade weapon won't mean squat against those odds. In fact, you may end up adding to the kills trying to get the bad guy. Do you really want to face that kind of responsibility?
Historic Filibuster
Recently, Connecticut Senator Chris Murphy, a Democrat, held a 14 hour and 50 minute filibuster which ended when GOP leaders finally agreed to allow a vote on two gun control measures. This young senator used one of the many heart-wrenching stories from the Sandy Hook massacre. I'm relieved that there seems to be some recognition of necessary action. However, I'm still disturbed that the GOP would prefer to be friends with the NRA, a powerful lobbying interest, than save the lives of hundreds of innocent American lives. I'm still in shock that nothing happened after Sandy Hook. Nothing happened after any of the other mass shootings. I don't understand this at all.
Call to Action
The senseless slaughter needs to stop. Schools, colleges, places of worship, entertainment venues, places of employ should all be safe havens from violence. Please contact your senators and members of Congress and beg them to vote on keeping military grade weapons off our streets.
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