I'm never surprised by the lack of decency the right-wing has when it comes to regional or national incidents and tragedies. Yesterday, I read how some Republican nut job, mid-west Congressman used the Aurora shootings to forward his position that not enough people embrace evangelical Christianity. It reminded me of the time Pat Robertson said the Katrina hurricane was God’s punishment for “the gays.”
Listen, I know politicians are all about persuasion and salesmanship. They have to make divisive statements and then win morons to their causes. It’s how they get elected. Usually I find it funny, or at least a little pathetic. This time, however, the hatred they’re spewing over children and innocent adults getting dead is unacceptable hyperbole.
We live in the 24-hour news cycle, but the weekend isn’t over. Those people aren't yet buried. Mothers are still crying. Some parents and friends and priests haven’t yet been to sleep since that tragic shooting.
The other thing that really filled me with rage this weekend (other than the psychotic murders) is the moronic gun rights arguments by a bunch of low-class wackos. Yep, believe it or not, there are human beings using the Aurora tragedy to bully people into believing guns have little to do with these kinds of murders.
Idiots. How stupid do they think I am?
I've never been much of a gun control advocate. I’ve never liked guns, nor would I own any, but I grew up around a lot of hunters and gun collectors. I’m an outdoorsman and I’ve always allowed these people to have their misguided belief that “if certain guns were outlawed, the criminals would still have them.” It’s not true in the least, being these weapons would no longer be manufactured, but I always let those arguments slide, all because of friends, who enjoyed shooting at the gun range.
But you know what? I think these idiots converted me. Let’s take a quick look at the Second Amendment of the US Constitution. It’s quite clear:
"A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed."
You don’t have to be a constitutional scholar to see, "A well regulated militia" is the thesis statement of that amendment. I don't see drug dealing thugs or racist yahoos at local gun clubs serving in the national guard. Besides, we adopted municipal police forces in the 19th Century. Unless there's a movement to eliminate the police, there's no need for a militia.
Second point. John Adams was known for his prudence of civil authority, balanced by strong state and federal governments. Thomas Jefferson didn't want the Constitution to bind the hands of future generations, because of technology and interests of the living population. With that said, do people really get to own cruise missiles, automatic (Russian made) machine guns, and grenades?
Obviously, to any rational thinking person, the answer is no.
I wanted to write an uncharacteristically soft-spoken blog about this. I put out a call for art and words about the tragedy, so I could compile a heartfelt collage of thoughts and visuals. That’s why Susanna’s illustration is to the right of this post. Unfortunately, that didn’t get to happen.
In the coming weeks, be prepared for a slew of right-wingers to be on TV, defending the right to own automatic machine guns. Expect the NRA and their money to cast a shadow over the grieving families in Aurora, as they punch home their singular policy position:
“Your kids are dead, but we like guns.”
Do something!
