"If I knew the Second Amendment had outlived it's usefulness, I would be on the bandwagon. But it has not."
This topic comes up after every mass murder, be it in a school, or otherwise. That is, if the mass murder was perpetrated by some kind of gun. Then the cries of change come from all spectrum's of the political divide. WHY? WHY DOES THIS HAPPEN??? Since nobody seems to have a logical answer, the emotional solutions come forth in spades. BAN ALL GUNS!! THE SECOND AMENDMENT IS THE SUICIDE NOTE FOR AMERICA!! And then we are off to the races.
First, not to trod on ground already covered, let me (as our Southern Baptist pastor would say), back up, and run over this snake one more time. There are not any people on this planet, who grieve more for the innocent loss of life than members of the NRA do. True fact. They want ALL guns to be used for the proper and appropriate reasons. They constantly walk the tightrope between protecting our liberties and the protection of the innocents.
Here is the rub, and I am not going to be gentle when I report on this. It is the ignorance of parts of our population, particularly those under 50, which I believe is due to the refusal of our school systems to teach proper American history. This causes much of this needless angst.
The NRA is like the little Dutch Boy, having his finger in the dyke. Without the NRA, reminding us of WHY WE HAVE THE SECOND AMENDMENT in the first place, the progressives would have killed it years ago.
I know this is not as good as watching NASCAR or March Madness, but time spent researching why in the world we have this unique amendment in our Bill of Rights might be a good use of time. This Second Amendment is unique for this reason. It was the safeguard, the parking brake, the governor on an engine, the checks and balance - to keep our government from becoming too much like King George. It was so important, so vital to our framers, it remains the only one which has the phrase, "Shall not be infringed" included in it.
Why have there been so many school shootings in the past 30 years? Is it due to the Second Amendment? No. That has been with us since the get-go. So what is it? THAT - IS WHY WE NEED A TRUE, UNBIASED NATIONAL DISCUSSION. If it is not because of the Second Amendment or the NRA, what is it? I don't know. But let's talk.
I don't know if it is broken families, a broken education system, taking God out of the equation, psychotropic drugs, video games, Hollywood, or whatever. We need to talk. However, if the conversation is going to revolve around screwing around with our Constitutional rights, it is worth our time.
Sorry, it you are disappointed. If I knew the Second Amendment had outlived it's usefulness, I would be on the bandwagon to get rid of it. But it has not. I am however, willing to be a part of the conversation to end this carnage. As is most of the gun toting folks I know. We need this to work for all of us. Like it always has in the past. Murder is against the law - owning a gun should not be.
The tragic toll of war stupefies and stuns. In the 240 years since the Revolutionary War, we have sacrificed nearly 1.4 million Americans to war. In itself, this number is hard to grasp.
ReplyDeleteBut harder yet is to reckon the human cost — of husbands, wives, fathers, mothers, sons, daughters; of perished potential; of achievements and kindnesses which will never be; of families forever shattered.
However justified some wars may be, war sobers us, diminishes us, cheats us. We struggle to find some national purpose to console us, some nobility of spirit to uplift us.
We mourn the tragedies of Vietnam, Afghanistan, Iraq, the wars of our last half-century.
In less than that same half-century, from the murders of Martin Luther King and Robert Kennedy until now, guns have claimed over 1.5 million Americans — 100,000 more deaths than in all the wars of our history.
Here there is no nobility, no consolation, no parades or speeches or monuments or national days of remembrance.
Nothing but the indelible stain of mindless butchery and private sorrow.
I think it is time to identify, honor and memorialize the victims of this senseless violence.
I propose that the NRA consider a memorial to those lost to guns with a simple 4x8 red clay brick with the name of each victim and date of a death by gun.
Laid by and out of work bricklayer at 250 bricks per day, this would give almost full time employment to one of our re-educated coal workers. And full time employment to several engravers.
The location should be on the National Mall. The National Mall is the space between the Capitol Building and the Washington Monument. It is about the butt ugliest space in our beautiful capitol city, due to high use and extreme summer temperatures.
33000 bricks per year would cover about 7500 square feet per year.
33,000 bricks would only cost the NRA approximately 45 cents each, or $14,850 per year. Petty cash to an organization that donates over $30 million to candidates and Political Action Committees annually. Monies deemed to preserve our cherished right to bear arms that is protected by the 2nd Amendment to the Constitution.
When each annual section is completed, visitors could find their loved ones on the ever-expanding patio type grounds via computerized kiosks or docents trained to assist, indicating the location of their brick.
They could do pencil rubbings of the names and take pictures of the family next to the brick. No flowers, personal items or memorial items could be left.
Over time, the public could see the brick patio grow year by year until it encompassed the entire mall in all it's bloody red glory. In addition, when inauguration ceremonies, celebrations and protests of all sorts are permitted use of the Mall, they will stand on hallowed ground. Kite flying and ultimate frisbee will no longer be permitted.
The blood red brick carpet of the slain innocents will stand in stark contrast to the nearby polished stone memorials to our war heroes.
This should serve to remind all who visit of where America and our elected officials priorities lie.
God Bless America and the NRA.