AMERICA DOES HAVE A GUN PROBLEM!

I can’t help but think all Republicans are on Prozac, Zoloft or some other “be happy” pill. The deficit, no big deal, it’s under control. The war, no problem, going just fine. Mistakes, sorry, just can’t think of any. National security, all is fine, never better. Economy, don’t worry, be happy (go shopping). Guns, everybody should have one, they’re great.

Some days I think I should start popping “happy” pills; after all it is easier than dealing with the problems of the world. Of course that would require me to trust the F.D.A.; sorry that’s a rant for another day. Anyways, you have to be blind, deaf, or stupid to think America does not have a serious problem with guns.

In 2000, nine children a day were killed by a gun. In 2000, 16,586 people committed suicide using a gun. Over half of family murders are caused by guns. A gun kept in the home is 22 times more likely to be used in an unintentional shooting than to be used to injure or kill in self-defense. The medical cost of gun violence to the US is over $100 billion annually.

Notice the stats are from 2000, I would give you updated numbers but at the request of the N.R.A. the Bush administration no longer funds the Justice Departments studies into gun violence. What are they afraid of? They would just find a way to twist the numbers they like and ignore the ones they don’t anyways. All statistics aside, America does have a gun problem.

Those of you not taking happy pills go with your gut on this one. Blame television, blame movies, society, the N.R.A., what ever you want just don’t say there isn’t a problem. The Assault Weapons Bill for instance, I’m a deer hunter who has never said “if only I brought my AK47”. My friends say they need those types of weapons in case they have to rise up against the government. Yes, the government is shaking in its boots. Sure let’s go Red Dawn on them. Having served in the military, I can tell you that at the press of a button from a ship hundreds of miles away using GPS they can take you out with little to no effort. The N.R.A. killed the bill because any loss of gun revenues is unacceptable to their number one supporter.

You would think the NRA’s number one supporter would be its members and their dues, so why would gun revenues matter. Unfortunately the NRA has become a special interest to a special interest; the gun lobby is now their biggest supporter. Being a hunter I belong to the NRA and at one time believed they did great things. Today they have been high jacked by the gun lobby and even if all its members had supported the Assault Weapons Bill they still would be forced to push for its defeat by the gun lobby. Do you honestly believe that the millions of dollars used to bribe our government officials (campaign donations) came from my measly little dues?

The bad guys have guns because the good guys have guns because the bad guys have guns. Nice little cycle. My neighbor gets robbed so I go and get a gun. A week later I get robbed but luckily I’m out of town, of course they take my gun in the robbery. The following week another neighbor is robbed and shot dead after startling the 16 year old bad guy. What do you know; the gun he stole from my house is what he used to kill my neighbor. The bad guys get their guns from the good guys who are afraid of bad guys.

Enforce existing gun laws, yes. Pass the Assault Weapons Bill, yes. Allow the Justice Department to again keep stats, yes. Use those stats honestly in a way that will help to find a solution to the problem, yes. Stop listening to the N.R.A.’s propaganda, yes. Ignore the problem, no.

AMERICA DOES HAVE A GUN PROBLEM! But hey, let’s just ignore it, it’ll go away.