So, generally I try to stay away from all types of political debates. I don’t get involved in presidential debates, I won’t give you my opinion on the candidates unless you specifically ask me, and even then I usually try to change the subject. I also try to not speak up too much about policy debates either. Yes, I have strong opinions, but I am also aware that those are just mine and that nobody else has to agree with them.
But sometimes there comes a topic where I can’t help but give my two cents. Mostly this blog is for my own benefit. If I don’t say something somewhere I’m going to start commenting on everyone’s facebook statuses (stati?) and replying to everyone and their mom on twitter…and that would not lead to anywhere good.
First, I just want to express my deepest sympathies to those who lost loved ones in the shooting during The Dark Knight Rises in Aurora, Co. This was such a senseless tragedy. Those people who lost loved ones have been given such an unfair circumstance. No one should have to lose anyone so abruptly and unexpectedly. For their loss, I am sorry. I also can’t help by feel a little sorry for the boy-shooter and his family. I can’t imagine what would have to be going on in someones brain for them to open fire on innocent people. What kind of horrors, real or imaginary (which in my opinion could almost be scarier), would this boy have to go through to decide that this was a good idea? Yes, he should be held responsible, but he is also to be pitied. The families of the victims should be in our prayers, but remember that the shooter was also a victim and that his family should be thought of as well.
Now, onto what has really been bugging me. Guns don’t kills people. Have you ever seen a gun act on it’s own accord and shoot someone? Because I haven’t. People kill people. People kill people all kinds of ways. With guns, with knifes, with cars, even with their bare hands.
I keep seeing people say that they should take guns away from people and that would significantly lower murder rates. Yes, it would lower the murder-by-gun rates. But, people are clever (unfortunately, especially psychopaths), and if you take their access to guns away they will just find another way to kill people. I haven’t done my research, but I’d be willing to bet that the most common unnatural cause of death is by car wreck. Are you going to take cars away because cars kill people? No, that would be silly. I read a report this morning that the gunman identified himself to police as “The Joker.” Clearly this is a Batman reference. He killed all those people because he thought he was a bad guy from a movie. Are you going to blame the movie for their deaths? Are you going to ban movies from the public? Because if you take away guns because they kill people you must also take away cars, movies and just about everything else in the world.
I agree that there should be gun safety laws. Yes, you should have to pass a test to get a gun. No, you shouldn’t be able to just walk into a sporting good store and buy one. And no, you shouldn’t be able have Ak-47s or whatever, but you can’t take guns away all together. Or make it as difficult and tracking down a Horcrux to get one.
People can’t keep blaming tragedies on inanimate objects. That’s just an excuse. People have got to start taking responsibility. Society has made it so easy to just blame video games, movies and the weapon for tragedy, when really we should be placing the blame somewhere else. That shooter is going to have to take responsibilities for his actions. He shot those people. The gun didn’t do it. The Joker didn’t do it. He did.
So there it is. I’m sure that some of my conservative friends will definitely disagree with me. But, before you think about arguing with me, you better come prepared with a story where a gun has shot someone all by itself.
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