The BBC, one of the largest, oldest and most respected news organizations in the world just opened a story about the latest mass shooting with this:
"Just another day in the United States of America"
We've reached a point where the rest of the world looks at a homicidal rampage as business as usual.
This shit HAS to stop.
Stories that sound like they're coming out of a war torn, third world country are happening right here at home. 355 times in the last 11 months.
The time for prayers, healing and politicizing (regardless of which side of the aisle you're on) are over. Preserving human life shouldn't be a partisan issue.
Who would be opposed to that?
Argument #1: The Second Amendment
Don't give me your slippery slope straw man argument about how the 2nd amendment guarantees you the right to own a goddamn assault rifle. No one needs a high capacity magazine for hunting or personal protection. They're designed to kill people. Lots of them and quickly. I'm sorry if the only way to make up for your inadequacies is by owning a militarized killing machine. Our founding fathers only point of reference when it came to bearing arms were muskets and revolvers. Where does it end? Should you be allowed to own a tank? Weapons grade uranium?
Argument #2: Guns Don't Kill People
Of course they don't. No inanimate object does. Unstable people with a desire to kill do. Why wouldn't we do everything we can to stop them from being able to?
Argument #3: The Only Way To Stop A Bad Guy With A Gun Is A Good Guy With A Gun
Complete and utter horseshit. John Wayne wannabes cause more havoc and potential harm than any type of heroics. Police officers and the military are trained to do this. Bubba down the street with his Glock isn't. He's about 1000 times more likely to kill an unarmed civilian than stop a shooting spree.
Argument #4: The Answer Is In Mental Health, Not Gun Control
Why can't we do both? Try and stop them before they ever start but also limit the potential damage of those we couldn't reach beforehand.
In a sane and rational society we'd be past the point of this even being a debate. Instead we get to drag this on for another few hundred deaths while the GOP and NRA scream about civil liberties and absolutely nothing fucking changes at all.
It's sad, frightening and infuriating all at once.
This isn't the country I love. This isn't the country we set out to be. This isn't a country I want to raise my child in.
We have the ability to change it. To make things right. To protect the sanctity of life in a civilized and humane way.
But we won't.
And that's the saddest, most frightening and most infuriating part of all.
