Most of the time I check out my titles with Headline Analyzer.
I didn’t for this post. There’s no way to put a positive spin on this subject.
And I’m sure I don’t have any better answers than anyone else. But what I do know is that violence of any kind doesn’t live by itself. It isn’t limited to one individual or to one incident. It affects everyone.
Somehow I have a sense that it all boils down to a lack of love. Believe me, I know how ridiculously simple that sounds. And I’m not suggesting that we can love violence right out of a person, especially for those who are already damaged. They need that and more.
But one thing is for sure, a person who feels truly loved does not commit violence.
Never.
But someone who doesn’t feel loved is self-destructive. And in their self-destructiveness, they always hurt others.
You noticed I said these people feel unloved. It isn’t that they aren’t loved and perhaps deeply but for some reason, they don’t believe it.
Certainly, our mental health institutions need improvement. We need to speak up when we know someone is on the brink. We need to better secure our schools making sure no one can enter a facility without identification and metal detectors. Public schools are the only federal institution without such safeguards and these are defenseless children!
But first: assault weapons should be outlawed. Let me repeat:
Assault weapons should be outlawed.
There is no reason any person needs an assault weapon. These guns are not used for hunting. My husband, an avid sportsman, is totally against these guns while still a strong supporter of the second amendment as am I.
And, yes, of course, violence can be committed without guns. But people cannot be murdered in mass without these kinds of weapons.
Can outlawing assault weapons root out evil from a person’s heart?
Of course not.
Can outlawing assault weapons prevent mass murder?
Of course, it can. At least some.
And it isn’t this where to begin? Don’t we have to save lives first?
Is it too soon after a crisis to discuss the politics of gun control? I used to agree with those that the debate over gun control shouldn’t be discussed so soon after an incident like this one yesterday. But now I think, if not now, then when?
How many mass shootings does it take before America is willing to admit that we have failed in protecting the most vulnerable among us?
I’m sorry this is such a disturbing post. But these things need to be addressed. We need to begin a national outcry to end this insanity. It won’t start with the politicians. I doubt if any of you disagree with that.
It needs to start with us.
Political affiliations shouldn’t matter. This is an issue that needs to be addressed and only we can do it by bringing pressure to bear on those lawmakers in our country. They need to be held accountable. No more sitting on the sidelines or worrying about reelection. No more offering excuses, “This isn’t the time to talk about it”. That’s just a cover-up to justify their cowardice.
Contact your state senator, your local congressman. Tell them to do their job.
I won’t sign off with “God bless you” because today I’m thinking of all those parents, grandparents, siblings, and friends who have just learned their child, grandchild, sibling, or friend is a victim of this mass shooting.
