I'm starting to feel proud to be an American again. Today the Democrats are staging a sit-in in the House to protest the lack of action concerning the accessibility of guns. To most of the world it seems a no brainer. Too many guns available to people who should not be allowed access to them. But in the name of the 2nd amendment, everyone, whether they are on a no fly list or not, should be allowed a gun.
But
The sleeping giant is waking up. Hypnotized too long by a combination of inertia, apathy and fear, the powers that be in Washington lay in thrall to the Right to Bear Arms cult, promulgated by the NRA to be as sacred as the Ten Commandments. But the 2nd amendment says more than the 'right to bear arms'. It starts with the words, a well-regulated militia. Not a free for all militia.
It also states: The fifth and last auxiliary right of the subject...is that of having arms for their defence, suitable to
their condition and degree, and such as are allowed by law.
Suitable to their condition and degree. So a person on a terrorist watch or no fly list is suitable? I think not. I may not be the brightest LED light in the room but I feel pretty confident in saying a would be terrorist is not suitable gun ownership material.
I watched some of the live coverage from the House. It was wonderful. I don't know who was speaking, don't know what time of day or night it was, don't know the names of the gun victims whose photos were held up by other sit-in sittees were, but I do know, rather than cringing and feeling ashamed to call myself a Yank, I was proud.
It is a small step the Democrats are taking but they are taking that first step - and they ain't sleep-walking!
Showing posts with label gun control. Show all posts
Showing posts with label gun control. Show all posts
Thursday, June 23, 2016
Thursday, April 18, 2013
Love and Fear, Kiwi and Yankee Style
A letter to my sister.
Hi Tam:
Today New Zealand voted for love, 77 to 44 in favour of same sex marriage. Today America voted for violence, 54 to 46, against background checks for those wishing to buy guns. In New Zealand the gallery spontaneously erupted into a traditional Maori love song. In the US Senate gallery there were calls of 'Shame on you!' as the vote was counted. To me that about sums it up. The US has lost its mind. Some American said something about how the rest of the world looked at the US with bewilderment - how it seemed quite crazy, this fascination with guns and gun culture. He or she was right. Can't speak for the rest of the world but here in Australia, the US appears as though it's gone collectively off its rocker. Madness twinned with paranoia fueled by testosterone and steroids. Hate fueled by fear. Why so frightened? What is everyone afraid of? Retribution?
When Martin Bryant shot and killed 35 people and injured 21 others at Port Arthur in Tasmania the then conservative government was galvanized into action. In order to own a gun you had to have a license. Hundreds of thousands of guns were surrendered (there was a recent amnesty of unlicensed firearms in which even more guns were surrendered). The keeping of guns in strictly regulated. Richard has (licensed) guns which he keeps in a secure padlocked cabinet. Ammunition is kept separately. The police have been out to check that he adheres to the regulations. Richard is very much in favour of gun ownership but accepts with not too much grumbling the way things are in Oz.
And then of course you get the homegrown loonies like the Boston bomber. I suspect you are right, Tam and he or she is insane. There's a grown man up the road. He's in his 40's and lives with his quiet and unassuming parents. His dad is a friend of ours. When this 'boy' gets agitated he gets scary if he's not on his medication. The neighbour brought Richard his guns for safekeeping when the son was having an episode (over an aged cat that desperately needed, for humane reasons, to be euth'd). That's all it takes. The parents are rightfully frightened of this big burly 'kid' but can't/won't have him committed. Is the bomber such a person? There are so many 'mad' people out there. Mad people that are afraid and therefore find reasons to hate. Hate comes from fear, don't you think? You can't hate unless you're afraid.
It's all so sad.
One of my favourite movies is Love Actually. I'm sure you've seen it. During the opening monologue Hugh Grant talks about how when the planes were going down during 9/11, the passengers, knowing they were going to die, rang their loved ones to tell them they loved them. They didn't ring their enemies to tell them they hated them. Love is our natural state. Despite all the madness in the world, I still believe that.
And I love you,
Holly
Hi Tam:
Today New Zealand voted for love, 77 to 44 in favour of same sex marriage. Today America voted for violence, 54 to 46, against background checks for those wishing to buy guns. In New Zealand the gallery spontaneously erupted into a traditional Maori love song. In the US Senate gallery there were calls of 'Shame on you!' as the vote was counted. To me that about sums it up. The US has lost its mind. Some American said something about how the rest of the world looked at the US with bewilderment - how it seemed quite crazy, this fascination with guns and gun culture. He or she was right. Can't speak for the rest of the world but here in Australia, the US appears as though it's gone collectively off its rocker. Madness twinned with paranoia fueled by testosterone and steroids. Hate fueled by fear. Why so frightened? What is everyone afraid of? Retribution?
When Martin Bryant shot and killed 35 people and injured 21 others at Port Arthur in Tasmania the then conservative government was galvanized into action. In order to own a gun you had to have a license. Hundreds of thousands of guns were surrendered (there was a recent amnesty of unlicensed firearms in which even more guns were surrendered). The keeping of guns in strictly regulated. Richard has (licensed) guns which he keeps in a secure padlocked cabinet. Ammunition is kept separately. The police have been out to check that he adheres to the regulations. Richard is very much in favour of gun ownership but accepts with not too much grumbling the way things are in Oz.
And then of course you get the homegrown loonies like the Boston bomber. I suspect you are right, Tam and he or she is insane. There's a grown man up the road. He's in his 40's and lives with his quiet and unassuming parents. His dad is a friend of ours. When this 'boy' gets agitated he gets scary if he's not on his medication. The neighbour brought Richard his guns for safekeeping when the son was having an episode (over an aged cat that desperately needed, for humane reasons, to be euth'd). That's all it takes. The parents are rightfully frightened of this big burly 'kid' but can't/won't have him committed. Is the bomber such a person? There are so many 'mad' people out there. Mad people that are afraid and therefore find reasons to hate. Hate comes from fear, don't you think? You can't hate unless you're afraid.
It's all so sad.
One of my favourite movies is Love Actually. I'm sure you've seen it. During the opening monologue Hugh Grant talks about how when the planes were going down during 9/11, the passengers, knowing they were going to die, rang their loved ones to tell them they loved them. They didn't ring their enemies to tell them they hated them. Love is our natural state. Despite all the madness in the world, I still believe that.
And I love you,
Holly
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