It seems to me somewhere between absurd and offensive when politicians or pundits or anyone else claims to know when it is OK or not to talk about something. I think we can talk about anything we like whenever we like. Guns it is, now, again.
Gun stocks went up after the Vegas shooting, as they do with such events. The NRA represents gun manufacturers, and they profit from gun violence. I can’t imagine a more sinister organization.
I don’t like guns. I certainly don’t love them, as some people claim to. I find that sentiment bizarre, honestly, and even sick. Own them if you must, be responsible and careful with them, but love them? I don’t follow. I love my guitar, it’s an inanimate object too, and I love it. Cars, I understand loving cars, polluting and dangerous machines though they are, I still get it, the love part – connecting to freedom and mobility, the open road – I can love cars. But somehow America also has a love for guns. Why?
Guns are at best a necessary evil, made necessary simply because other people have them. They are instruments of self-defense or aggression, justice or oppression. Guns in the hands of potential enemies make necessary the having of guns. It’s an ugly circle that started long ago. But what they do is maim and kill. That’s their function. How does anyone love that? Perhaps they are using a definition of the word “love” that I am not familiar with.
Much has been said about this week’s calamity in Las Vegas. I keep hearing the word “investigate” – on NPR and elsewhere – they’re investigating to find out the motive behind the crime.
The guy snapped. He snapped as men sometimes do. People debate whether he was insane or not, of course he was insane. Anyone who does that is insane, or there is no such thing as insanity.
The weapons he had purchased under our lax gun laws made certain that he was able to kill and maim a maximum number of people when he snapped. That is because of the efforts of the NRA. Because of their complete success in preventing any reasonable gun regulations.
I’m not so interested in the motives of the guy who shot all those innocent people, after all we can only speculate. I am interested in the motives of the NRA. Is it just money? Because they sure are raking it in. And the more violent our society is, the more money the weapons manufactures make. What is behind their sociopathy, and why are so many congresspersons so readily purchased by them?
As for the psychology of why some men snap and do this sort of thing, I found this article –
Why The Vegas Shooting Happened, and Why Men Keep Doing This – by Charlie Hoehn, good food for thought. I’m not sure if I agree with all of his assertions and conclusions, but I am certain he’s talking about some of the root causes of these terrible acts. Loneliness and isolation do drive people crazy, and there’s a lot of loneliness and isolation to go around these days.
I’m weary of the killing, the hating, the endless propaganda and lying, bullying, bigoted monstrosities yelling at us to become less kind, less thoughtful, more angry, and more fearful. “Resistance” is a word we use often lately, and I embrace it and I’ll tell you my resistance today comes in the form of simple humble compassion and empathy for all beings. Sometimes we can and should affirm to ourselves and maybe others, that we will not have our humanity reduced because others have chosen darkness.
Another day, another opportunity to be kind and thoughtful and generous in the small or big ways that we can.
What the hell. After such a meandering post I suppose I’ll include my song about guns. This is one of the last studio recordings by The Uptones, from 2009 I think it was. Followed by an XTC song that offers a practical solution. And one from Nirvana just.. because. And then “Why?” by The Specials, from their final release, and, that just gave me the title for this post.
Be safe ya’ll. Peace and Love, already.
-Dinny
Here are some resources to defeat the NRA if you have time or some money to contribute:
Everytown for Gun Safety is an organization committed to opposing the NRA and enacting reasonable gun laws. I sent them twenty bucks. A drop in the bucket but hopefully it helps. Join me?
This Rolling Stone article from 2014 offers some strategies and 411: How to Beat the NRA In 7 (Not-So-Easy) Steps
The image below says it all. If someone knows who to credit it to, please let me know. Thanks.
