Gun Control?

Honest, I've really been trying to keep quiet on this subject  - for a number of reasons. Better, get a second cup of coffee.

First, my experience with shooting guns is rather limited. Second, I have never
enjoyed the bonding that takes place between son & his father, brother and brother, cousin and cousin, aunt and uncle, etc due to hunting together.

I'm sure there is much to recommend it.

Third, I  agree there's one helluva lot of knee jerk reactions by non NRA members and politicos everywhere to the shooting of those innocent kids up in Connecticut.

We appear to be a country that is hell bent on finding that "one simple solution" that will end all discomfort. Gun control arguments are just one good example.

To me, they simply seem to capture the depth of our frustration as a nation.

Finally, it appears to me that the whole issue of gun control in which critics rationalize that those who object to reviewing anything having to do with this subject, may tell us that way too much needs to be re-examined.

By both sides of the argument.

Many argue that the "take no prisoner" stand of many males who fear gun control may simply be blamed  as simply being  a last stand for one helluva lot of males who fear further emasculation down the road.

Again - another one size fits all argument.

However, is it true that in the last 40 years, males have seen several areas - where men were historically supposed to have dominance? Do they now belatedly show signs of  fear for future impotence for our male population? Is this accurate and accurately depict a driving force behind what appears to be a stubborn stand on the part of many males?

Don't know.

Is it true, however, that the "modern males" - many of whom have learned to give lip service to the theme that women have historically been neglected and should now be be treated as equals - may now have some second thoughts?

That is even while secretly assuring themself that in a time of war this country will turn to -armed "men" to bail us out -  as opposed to a group of people whose dependability once a month - may or may not be incompacitated by Mother Nature - but make them ill equipped to defend our country in battle.

The critics who espouse this simplistic argument above appear to believe our "gun control' problem is based strictly on testosterone fueled male insecurity and a recurrent theme where they refuse to accept that they no longer are representative of that ancestral species who historically "went out  and shot supper".

I confess I have no sure-fire conclusions here - just some observations. I also admit I'm processing as I write this.

For  those who are sure that gun ownership will historically protect us in time of enemy attack, I invite them to book a flight down to San Antonio, Texas and take a good look at what Texas "claims" is the remains of the Alamo.

It was humbling - even for this old-timer.

The fact that the altar at which these desperate males worship -"The NRA" -( which could easily be understood to be confused with the IRA by some) - is making morons out of all of them - and us who love them, as well.

I remain convinced that if the Irish women/mothers/wives in northern Ireland had not finally taken a "enough is enough" stand there would still be daily reports of bloodshed in that beleagued part of the world.

Will history repeat itself here in our beautiful country that appears to be closing in on the idea of the need for respecting female equality?

 Again, I don't have a clue, but I do know that there are one helluva lot of mothers in this country who are tired of watching their sons and daughters lowered into the ground because nobody could, or would,  come up with an answer to gun violence.

Finally, for those lemming die hards who espouse the idea that universal gun checks are a waste of time - (a mind numbing stand) please help me to understand why, if it would save the life of just one of our babies, it would not be worth considering - or at the very least discussing - regardless of what some NRA official may be arguing in the media?

How the hell do we know? - We haven't 'truly' tried them?  Yet the IRA (oops, NRA) "leadership" - and trust me that stuck in my throat for a while - are coming out with gun control positions that mock reality.

Once again - to paraphrase Jimmy Buffet's line about old men who identify life's issues by using sports analogies to explain them - perhaps it's time for us to move on - regardless of how strong one feels about gun rights from those on either side.

 But, once more - my previous caveat. Let's not go nuts here.

 Please don't get me wrong about these folks who are so protective of their amendment rights. My 70 plus years of experience suggests that, for the most part, these are good people who most of us would find they truly enjoy being in their company.

They are also most likely to be the ones who pull over on the side of the road in an effort to see if you need help changing a tire.

And yeah, I do have empathy for those who ask "why do so many of these good rational thinking men" decide to resort to a perceived mob mentality when the subject of making some changes in gun control comes up. Do I agree?

Again, that would take much too long to try to answer here and this blog is long enough already.

However, I admit those critics may be raising an interesting question similar to what I ask myself constantly about liberal legislators, ACLU attorneys and jurists who are up for re-election, as to how they would proceed on alleged rapists - amid the defense attorney's arguments of "well, she invited it really" - if  it was their wife, daughter or grandaughter who was the alleged victim of rape?

Again, I don't have a solution, but know that I don't want myself or any of my kids to have to address that horrible situation down the road.

A logical follow-up question might also be, how likely the recalcitrant  NRA officials would be to reject any and all attempts to find a compromise as to what we're doing in this country on the subject of gun control - that is, if someone near and dear to them was the victim of death by gun?

Would they be quick to accept their prior argument and proclaim that "guns don't kill - people do"  - or instead  conclude something else?

Worse yet, would their silent but ingrained  thought process be: "Well that really was unfortunate - but I need this well paying job with the NRA - and I can do more for this country if I don't give up my position of power and influence" via my many years with the NRA by instead, saying or doing something stupid."

I'm not blasting the NRA or the many people who are defensive about the  possible erosion of their gun rights. There are many of them whom I know and love (and believe) who will defend to their death (no pun intended) the right of gun ownership.

I am curious about one circumstance here - strictly in searching for clarity.

I will admit I'd like to see one or more of these non-profit gatekeeper groups
who measure and monitor Congressional morality and alleged transgressions while in office, to agree to publish the result of a survey that reveals how much money these politicians or jurists receive via the NRA and their many other hidden financial sources. Is it a checken and egg argument as the politicians would have you think?

Anyway, why the belated outrage now - or appearance of same - by me?

I just read in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette about the murder of two individual outside of The Cozy Inn in Murraysville - a suburb of Pittsburgh. I really know nothing else about what happened. It is located not too far from where my kids grew up and my grandkids live now.

 I know well where the Cosy Inn is located and may have even been in the area many years ago at 7:30 in the evening when these murders were committed.

It was a frequent stopping off place for us Saturday golfers and trust me - we sure couldn't possibly imagine that this little peaceful place would someday be the location for what just happened.

In our day this occurrence would have been so unheard of that it probably would have been on the front page of the Pittsburgh Press and Sun-Telegraph for weeks. I doubt if that will be the case here ( and not just because those two referenced newspapers are no longer in print)

So, again, why am I so upset? Perhaps it's because I read too much - including those writings from people with whom I generally do not agree.

Dwayne Wickham, is a contributor to the USA Today and definitely is not one of my favorite "opinionated' columnists.

The other day he wrote about the tremendous  difference in the ratios of black men killed by guns as compared to Caucasions and Hispanics.

My first reaction was that possibly, somewhere, a possible cause for the disparity and ultimate responsibility might well rest with those so called leaders of the Afro-American community who simply are looking the other way.

And then, like those who seek to find a single and irrefutable rationale as to why stricter gun control measures should not be put in place, I thought, "Dammit Barry, you're doing the same thing. You're looking for an easy fix."

It was not until I read the last piece of his commentary suggesting that those Afro Americans who have fled the ghettos and urban life - to protect their families- may very well someday experience the same killing insanity for reasons not limited to urban sprawl - I paraphrase Wickham's question, "Then what's going to happen when it's going on in their backyard?"

I'm embarassed to admit this but I guess this latest incident in Murraysville was just too close to "home" - and, isn't that a sad fact?

However, despite that admission, I would encourage the same question be posed to those bastions of the philosophy "no gun control under any circumstances."

I really don't want any of folks on either side of this argument to experience the death of a loved one simply so the anti-gun lobby can say, with more self-assurance, "I told you so!"

I can personally attest to the fact that losing a child can truly change your life - and not for the better. I wouldn't wish this fate on anyone.

I'm just asking those critics who are so sure they have the perfect and only logical answer to the problem - as well as those entrenched in a refusal to take a deeper look at the issue of gun control :  "Would you please think this whole thing through again?"

Thank you.