The soul of America is now twisted into corrupt logic over gun ownership and assault weapons especially. The NRA and other gun owners do not shed a tear over the loss of innocent youngsters in classrooms.
"But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believes in Me, it
were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and
that he were drowned in the depth of the sea. "
Matthew 18.6
When I was in the Army, in 1956 at Ft. Leonardwood, Missouri, a fellow draftee was in the next bunk. He was a Northern Michigan farmer. He won the best expert rifleman award in our basic training company. He loved his M-1 rifle. When we broke camp, standing in our final company formation, our platoon sergeant yelled: “Boys, a drop inspection, empty your duffle bags in the company street.” I looked at my bunk mate standing next to me and saw his broken-down M-1 rifle dumped out of his duffle bag. I remember to this day how much he really loved that rifle, imagining he could probably bring down a deer at 400 yards with it.
My point is, he did not want that rifle for personal safety or to use against his government. I believe at age 19 he wasn’t even familiar with the 2nd Amendment.
Since my military training, guns are now more venerated in the U.S. than ever before. It has reached the point of excessive reverence. We have over 400 million guns right now and some manufacturers, the NRA, and politicians want even more. Many demand open carry without proper registration or training for hand guns and even assault weapons. The NRA is their spokesman and dispenses funds to keep the loyalty for more weapons active. Meanwhile, to their critics, they display gross hostility, aimed at anyone that criticizes their desire for more guns.
We have 48,000 deaths a year by guns in the U.S. We lead the world in mass shootings. Now, some jurisdictions allow someone to shoot a person even if they just feel threatened. Many think they must own a gun because of crime and because of government threats. In my state of Michigan, assault weapon owners stormed the state Capitol Building, making threats over gun restrictions and Covid enforcement. Months later, several were convicted of conspiracy to kidnap our state governor, resulting in legal accountability being imposed.
The 2nd Amendment reference to guns for use in an organized militia can now be questionned. We have state National Guards, a standing Federal military, state Police and private guards everywhere. Those who argue so loudly for easier gun laws, more open carry, and more gun sales are in the minority. Mainstream thinking voters want more oversight and laws, not less. And they are a vast majority of our citizens.
Sadly, we all must now recognize the fact that the number one cause of death for children under 19 years of age is guns. And if that isn’t disgraceful enough, death by suicides ranks second. We have children in elementary schools being taught “active shooter drills”. Imagine having the need to treat elementary schools as domestic war zones.
We shoot 9-year olds in classrooms, seemingly on a regular predictable basis. Some who are shot in the face are unrecognizable and must undergo DNA testing to be identified. The soul of America is now twisted into corrupt logic over gun ownership and assault weapons especially. The NRA and other gun owners do not shed a tear over innocent youngsters in classrooms. The parents of the murdered children someday may have to release the photos of a murder scene.
Now in our US Capitol building, some elected representatives wear miniature assault weapon pins on their lapels. After mass shootings, these same folks’ response is to defend the 2nd Amendment. Imagine, we are the only “civilized” society that sacrifices children at the altar of the gun lobby. Those who venerate guns and especially assault weapons seem to boast of their indifference to the madness, witnessed at schools, public places and private gatherings. Has the soul of America been replaced by gun religion?
The remedy for overcoming this madness? It is simply to stop the tyranny of the minority by legal means. The majority of Americans want this madness to stop. Note well, more guns than the 400 million we now have will mean even more children murdered in school, and more committing suicide as they see the fearful ongoing environment they must live in.
We need a National Referendum quickly to get every voter on record as to their opinion whether the killings in the street should continue. We must consider assault weapon buybacks, the way they did in Australia and New Zealand. Did that approach solve the mass shootings in those countries? Yes, it did.
Now we must capture the moment. The majority of Americans have mainstream views towards less guns. Their core values do not subscribe to opinions that 20 million assault weapons are OK, with more coming. All gun owners must recognize our Founding Fathers set up a representative government, controlled by the majority of voters. We get what we deserve if we surrender quietly to the gun culture. Hunters and sportsmen, are not threatened by the removal of assault weapons. A civilized and just society will be much better off with mass shootings stopped before total insanity grips us as a nation.
Let’s come to the aid of our country by realizing civility is not a sign of weakness. We must embrace the idea that our children should no longer fear going to school. A society that must have “active shooter drills” in elementary schools is testing the patience of a just God. Let us now change course bravely to show we care for our children and desire the respect of other civilized nations. United we stand, meanwhile there is virtually zero room left for division of thought. We must unify our thinking.
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