gun violence

     there is no quick solution to the problem of gun violence in this country - there is only the possibility of alleviation of the factors which allow it to take place.  the government cannot confiscate all guns - think of the field day criminals would then have - and there are too many guns in circulation - plus the second amendment - for a "ban" to be effective.   christ, the government can't even keep track of its own guns - i give you "fast and furious" - let alone yours and mine.

     one good start to correcting the problem would be to have a national list of prohibited persons and households - to include criminals [obviously], the mentally deranged and their households. it would be a relatively easy list to create - and update - in this modern, computer driven age.

     i'll tell you a story about home armament.  the loaded pump shotgun [by one's bedside] is the most effective home invasion deterrent there is.  i wouldn't suggest a shell in the chamber - but for this reason alone:  the "snick, snick" of an action loading a round is terrifying to the invader.  i know this to be true because there was much grumbling in the local police force when its members were required to "upgrade" from pump guns to automatics...there is no "snick, snick" with an automatic.  the officers' claim, when challenged, was that felons trooped out of hiding, hands in the air, about a quarter of the time upon hearing "snick, snick".

     guess what's by my bed.

trust

     "trust your mother...but cut the cards...."  anon.







     with thanks to bernie goldberg

the newtown murders

      CRAZY...that's what adam lanza was...and the fort hood murderer, CRAZY...and the aurora  "joker" murderer, CRAZY.

anyone who would shoot a sleeping person four times in the head is crazy [or out for revenge]...and then go on to shoot twenty innocents to death - not to mention their brave teachers - is crazy.  i'll bet you that when they finish lanza's dna examination the verdict comes back: CRAZY.

his mother must have been a little nutty too.  to have two pistols and an assault rifle in the home of a crazy person is idiotic and asking for trouble - particularly when that crazy person does nothing but play violent video games all day, locked in a basement room.

by the way - where's his father in all this?

"odd," "removed," "socially awkward" - yeah, and dangerous and CRAZY.  all you had to do was look at the son of a bitch's picture for the alarm bells to start jangling.

i've owned and been around guns all my life and never had the inclination to shoot a person - punch him maybe, but never shoot him - but that's because i'm not CRAZY.  get a better handle on these nut cases - such as a national registry of prohibited persons - and you'll go a long way towards saving lives in the future.  this will happen again.

a quote

    "diapers and politicians should be changed frequently - usually for the same reasons...."





with thanks to jim harker