No… this is not about
Tarzan, nor Jane of the Jungle… not even about Cheetah, their faithful
companion who actually outlived them all by many decades, dying just a couple
of years ago in Florida. As any self respecting retiree would… He (it?) had gone to live out his days there.
Sometimes,
during the course of any given day, any one, no one in particular and most
everyone, will come across a difficult moment that forces reflection on that
little ditty up there on the title bar. Lately, during the span of the last 2
years or so, we have been reminded –not too subtly- about the real dangers of
having lunatics running around with access to high powered weapons. I mean… you
don’t really need an assault weapon used by SWAT and Special Forces teams in
order to rid your home of cockroaches or mice… no matter how big you tell me
they might be.
The
last (so far) in this chain of morbid, sad and downright horrendous happenings
came to be at a school in Sandy Hook, CT, some 3 months ago. A number of small
children died there (one is too many!!),
brought down by someone not much older than themselves who, despite having
undergone treatment for emotional/mental stability, had access to assault
weapons at home. The worst offender, in my humble opinion? His own mother, a
lifelong teacher, and well aware of the issues her son confronted, had bought
these weapons and had them there for the taking.
This
morning, on a Spanish TV show, I heard the very painful and plaintive cry of a
grandmother whose seven year old granddaughter was one of the victims. The
general question of the moderator, a well known Spanish journalist, was: “What do you think about the fact the law
change is not even being brought up for vote on the Senate?” Obviously, her
answer was extremely wrought with pain and questioning. Her words were to the
effect that we have a bunch of worthless people in the Senate who are much more
interested in whatever funds may be brought in by the special interest Lobbies,
than by the safety and potential well being of the people they are supposed to
represent.
I
can’t say I fully disagree with her on this issue. And not just about gun control either...
The
issue of gun control is a cyclical one. Every time there is an attack on people
by someone who has access to these weapons, we have an uproar, a huge cry from
many who do their best to take advantage of a very emotional moment in order to
best serve their own political agendas. This, unfortunately, does not work. Gun
possession is a right guaranteed by the Constitution, a right which will take
much more than simple wishes to either change or eradicate.
I
am not for total gun control; I think that hand weapons and hunting rifles do
have a place in the hands of private individuals. However, I do believe that
anyone who wishes to privately buy a high grade assault weapon should have to
do a lot… and I mean a lot, of explaining and also subject him/herself to much
scrutiny, including mental history… privacy be damned!!! Fully nine out of ten of
those who have bought one of these weapons, would probably not have passed the
scrutiny.
This
is a charged issue that no politician wants to really tackle. But someone will
have to, at some point. Those who want no controls to speak off, say that “Guns
don’t kill people, people kill people”.
Quite a truism. Yet, the only way there can be a modicum of separation
between guns and those lunatics who make it a sport out of killing innocent
people, is to increment the barriers between them and the guns they want to buy.
That only criminals will have guns? Another cry we hear. This is true and will
continue to be true no matter what we do. But most of the mass crimes that have
taken place in our recent history, have been committed by unstable people whose access
to guns might have been much more restricted if some of these more efficient
gun control laws were in place.
My
son died in a motorcycle crash some 17 months ago. For me to look to ban
motorcycles altogether, would be looked on as a purely emotional outburst… you
know…“Motorbikes don’t kill people… riders do…” Sure, many would say they
understand my feelings but will say I am crazy behind my back. Yet, it makes a
lot more sense to push for more control on those who are licensed and also on
more education for people on the road, both on two wheels and four wheels… to
be aware, on both sides, that all vehicles don’t ride on four wheels.
On
the same vein, I agree with more control on the issuing of licenses and on a
true restriction of high power weapons that have no place in a home. But
eliminating all guns? I know how many of us may feel, but I also know this is
not a realistic goal; at least not for quite sometime yet.
Be
Well … Be Back!!!
Final Notes:
- Pray for those who are fighting an illness which may take them away from their
loved ones… Every request is heard, and counts!!
- Follow us on Twitter … @RJAsPandora
- Any comments please send to otherboxp@yahoo.com
- “La Otra Caja de Pandora”… The Spanish language Blog… “otracaja.blogspot.com” … Bienvenidos!!
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