I've said it before, and I'll keep saying, yes, guns do kill people. Do other things kill people? Yes they do. Lots of things kill people. Lots of people die every day. But as far as I have found, only one of them is specifically designed to kill, and that one thing is guns.
Guns aren't also used for transportation. So do not tell me how cars kill as well. Knives, rope, even baseball bats. All have other primary purposes. Except guns. They have one goal. To kill. Or pretend to kill. And yes, I know many people have guns and they don't want to kill anyone. They have a gun for sport, or a hobby, or protection.
And that is why I say we have to have gun regulation, not to regulate the guns, but to regulate the people who own the guns.
And you know who I think would agree with me? Our Founding Fathers. They put the word "well-regulated" in the 2nd Amendment for a reason. They did not say a "well-armed" militia. They did not say everyone could or even should have a gun. They said you should have a gun to form a "well-regulated militia".
There it is people, our call to action. It is time people for us to insist on OUR rights. Because the Founders thought we had certain inalienable rights, and among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. And I am sick and tired of allowing a few fanatics to lead this conversation down the rabbit hole of rhetoric and bullshit.
What the hell is wrong with us? Why are we allowing a few extreme lunatics to push their fanatic agenda on the rest of us? I've got a few hard truths to share today, and I am betting there are more than a few people who aren't going to like this, but this isn't a popularity contest so here goes.
First, guns do kill people. Absolutely. There is no doubt. This is not an argument, this is a fact. Guns do kill people. Here is the thing, they need a person to achieve that goal. A gun by itself cannot kill, but is the gun the implement that kills? It surely is.
Second, criminals don't follow laws but we have them anyway. Why is murder illegal? Rape? Theft? Obviously there are people still doing those things so why have laws against them? I'll let you puzzle that one out for yourself.
Third, most gun owners are responsible. Sure, so are most car owners, we still require a test, insurance and annual inspections of our vehicle. We legislate to educate those who are not responsible and to ensure those who are know the basic safety rules to safely operate a vehicle. Isn't that just basic common sense?
Fourth, any gun regulation is infringing. No, it is not. Infringing is infringing. Me putting barriers to ownership is infringing. But let me ask this, how is it not infringing to close health clinics to prevent access to abortion? How is it not infringing to defund health services to deny women access to reproductive health care? You cannot on the one hand insist on inspection of a woman's vagina via a trans-vaginal probe and counseling for women before an abortion and then tell me that an annual inspection of your weapon and a few questions about your fitness to own a weapon is infringing.
Fifth, people who want simple, sane, sensible basic gun regulation have to find their balls and stop allowing the NRA and Congress to push this aside. Yes people it is time to stop blaming others and get off our high horses, look in the mirror and then look at the photographs of every child murdered with a gun, put on our big girl pants and insist on basic gun safety regulation. Yes they are going to call us names. Yes it is going to be hard. But yes, it is going to save lives. Look at the person next to you. Now imagine that person dead with a bullet in their head. Then pick up the phone, call your member of Congress and tell them you want three things:
- Annual fitness training and testing at the gun shop or gun club of your choice
- Annual inspection of all weapons at a gun shop or gun club of your choice
- Proof of ownership of an approved gun safe
These three things will change everything. This is not infringing. This is making sure gun owners understand the responsibility that comes with the right to own a gun. It is enacting the well-regulated clause of the 2nd Amendment. And it is about time we did so.
Here is the thing people, if a few loons on the far right wing can insist it is okay to stick a probe into my body I can damn well insist we inspect their guns.
Do not let anyone tell you otherwise.
Tomorrow morning, I want you to call your member of Congress. And today, I want you to email or fax him or her. And I want you to do that every week. It doesn't have to be about gun control every time, pick your policy, and let your voice be heard. Because here is one thing I can guarantee, you being silent is part of the problem.
Remember, they work for us. Congress, legislators, police, Judges. They represent us, they do not rule us.
So let's dispel this myth that guns don't kill people. Yes, they do. They absolutely do. And you know what is really infringing, insisting you can stick a probe inside me because your religion disagrees with my rights. Now that is infringing, and we really have to deal with that too. It really is time to insist legislators stop using our bodies to pander to their base. We have sat back and allowed the extremists to take over.
Call your legislator, explain the definition of infringing, and then remind them, they represent us. And we are going to vote, donate, volunteer and elect candidates who understand that.
Here is where you get started, please, send this to your legislators, just email it to him or her, and send it to your local newspaper. Let it be known where you stand. Because your voice matters.
Find out how to contact legislators here.
You can also sign this petition I started and help get basic gun safety regulation passed by Congress.