Can we call it what it is???

"Other than that, I got nothing. All I know is this - it is not the guns. Take every gun away in the world, melt them down, and the problem will still be here. How do I know? Ask Able. Seems that Cain did not kill him with a gun, and he is just as dead." 

Yesterday, in an upbeat suburb of Dallas, it happened again. Some young man, with probably mental health issues, drove to an outdoor mall with a long gun - and opened fire. Fortunately, a cop was in the area taking care of another matter. He heard the shots and got to the mall as fast as he could. Once there, he confronted the shooter, and put an end to the carnage. Even though the cop saved countless lives by getting there so fast, eight innocent people lay dead, with a handful taken to the hospital.

Last week, someone was asked why group shootings have become commonplace these days. They have gone from very rare, to very common. Why? He said it is because people are angry and/or frustrated. Possibly true. My thoughts? Mental illness is on the rise and not being addressed. As much of a 2A guy that I am, I am starting to be concerned about lethal weapons in the hands of someone who is unhinged. Someone who either has unbridled hate in his or her heart, or mental illness has taken that person to the end of the line. Kill, and then be killed. Go out in a hail of bullets.

Violence is nothing new to mankind. It has been going on since Cain killed his brother Able. With an AR-15? No - with the weapon of choice in the Old Testament - a rock. Rocks, then swords, then spears, then arrows, then finally guns. Joe Biden wants to get rid of guns. That will stop the violence. WRONG! As the saying goes, a gun does not kill people. The person squeezing the trigger kills people.

People, who are deranged or have hate in their hearts, will kill other people. Fact. If not with a gun, it could be a knife, a heavy ashtray, bare hands, or poison. What is the point? If you want to kill, there are a thousand ways in which to do it. 

I remember hearing a Navy Seal a few years back. He said, "I have been trained to kill. If you are my enemy, and we are in close quarters, I will kill you with any means necessary. If I had to, and had no other weapon, I would chew your face off with my bare teeth." Why bring this up? If the objective is to kill someone, and you were committed to do so, it will be done.

Back to the carnage in Dallas. How do we stop things like this? More cops, and more armed guards. Why did this person shoot up a mall. Why did the person last week shoot up a medical office. Why do students shoot up a school? Soft targets. We need to assume that all soft targets are vulnerable, and could be an opportunity of choice. Harden all soft targets, and do it now.

We also need to step up our game on how to treat mental illness. Right now we are doing a piss poor job. We can do better - we must do better. 

Other than that, I got nothing. All I know is this - it is not the guns. Take every gun away in the world, melt them down, and the problem will still be here. How do I know? Ask Able. Seems that Cain did not kill him with a gun, and he is just as dead.