Gun control.....

Lately, I've been hearing a lot of talk about gun control. I can't say I have a strong position on the subject. In fact, to a degree I am indifferent. I own one for protection but have never had the "pry it out of my cold-dead fingers" attitude. It's just a tool.

My ex-husband taught me how to use one and insisted that I take the NRA class to make sure I knew how to clean one, the proper etiquette and operation. He insisted that we go to the range regularly and practice. If nothing else, he insisted on responsible gun ownership. It's a good thing really. He was far more involved with the political movements that believe taking guns away from citizens in this country would subject them to tyranny by the government.

I never bought that argument. If the government ever decides to take the velvet glove off the iron fist, they have far more effective means at their disposal that they will not be threatened by a few .22 caliber handguns. The government is the bear in the livingroom.

Gun control will not stop crime. Removing the tool will not stop people from committing crimes. They will use another instrument of intimidation.

I've been hearing arguments that events such as the Virginia Tech shootings and Columbine would never have occurred if guns had been unavailable.

Baloney! Both Columbine and Virginia Tech were not random acts of violence. They were plotted and planned. And all of the perpetrators had enough control over themselves to come up with a plan and implement it.

Perhaps they would have built a bomb instead. The instructions on how to build an IED is available on the Internet.

Perhaps they would have chosen a chemical attack. Chemicals are also available on the Internet.

Gun control will not stop suicides. Even though the recent suicide in my family was committed with a gun, I know he would have done it another way if he was determined to do it.

I simply don't believe gun control will work. Here's why:

This is one of the most violent cultures in the industrialized world. I doubt anyone would argue with me about that which is why I am not bothering to get statistics.

Violence, power and might are staples of the culture. Violence is glorified in all media. The tools used to exercise it will never be as important as the mindset that creates it.

If someone has a dark enough heart, he or she will find a way to commit an act of violence. Whether it is a knife, an improvised explosive device or some other lethal means. The ones coming to mind are ones I would prefer to not even mention.

So maybe we need to figure out what causes and why there are so many dark hearts.

The problem will never be solved until it is addressed as the systemic problem it is. Those who drive culture need to change hearts and change minds. It needs to focus on more positive things than power and might. It needs to emphasize higher social values. Social engineering? Yes. It happens all the time.

Stop all the movies and TV shows that emphasize so much violence ~ or that violence is a solution to problems.

Stop glorifying military action. Show it as being only a last resort action. War is a horrible thing ~ and glorifying it makes absolutely no sense and offers no redeeming social value.

Teach children the value of honor, respect, kindness, social responsibility and compassion.

Authoritarian solutions rarely work. They only scratch the surface of a much larger problem.


Peace,


~Chani