Conversation This Evening
I've remained very quiet and listened intently at work over the last week. I have resisted the urge to say anything even though I have heard so much misinformation. This evening, over a drink with several co-workers, I broke my silence.
The subject came up, they were rambling on about banning this and that, why, what, etc. and one of them asked me what I thought. I replied, "It doesn't really matter" but they insisted. So, I calmly and professionally said, "So much debate about what to ban, how much, why, what it looks like, more checks, etc. In the end, what a gun looks like or how much it holds, or more checks would not have changed a thing. CT has some of the strictest gun laws already. Not legal to own unless 21, this guy was 20. He killed and stole guns. No amount of checks would have changed that. I do find fault in his mother not securing her weapons. To me, that is a responsibility that everyone should take seriously. Outside of that, 30 round clip or 10 round, if no one is firing back it doesn't matter if you have to reload one time or three. So called assault weapons do the same thing as revolvers and shotguns. Pull the trigger once, one bullet comes out. Pull it again, another comes out. That doesn't make the person on the other end any more or less dead."
At this point, someone asked, "But why does anyone need a semi-automatic weapon?" I said, "Why does anyone need alcohol like we are drinking now or a car that goes 100 MPH?" Every six weeks the same number of kids are killed at the hands of drunk drivers as were in CT. Every six weeks, week after week, year after year. Yet no one dare suggest banning alcohol or cars. They are willing to accept that risk and death toll to have that freedom. Mankind existed thousands of years on this earth without cars, he could do so again."
I then said, "If the President was serious about making meaningful change, he would personally lead the charge and he would invite the NRA to the table. If we want to really make a difference, let me ask you a question. As a society, how do we protect our money? Armed security. How do we protect our Politicians? Armed security. Why should or kids in our schools be any different? They choose schools because they know there will be no armed resistance. And when it does show up, they off themselves. Harden up our school grounds and buildings and require by law armed security on the premesis. That's the only thing that has any chance of effectively changing these events. If armed security is good enough for the President and the other anti-gun politicians, then why are they against it for our kids? You don't send a fireman to a fire without a hose or extinguisher. If you did, all he could do is stand there and say 'what a shame.' Evil exists in this world and we can't legislate it out of existence. Pretending it won't come in a school because we have banned black rifles and long magazines is crazy. If we are going to invest the time, effort, and energy to go down this road, let's make the trip worth it."
By the end of the conversation, it was like the group had seen the light. I'm not saying they were suddenly pro-gun, but they seemed to truly understand the reality of the situation and why the same old song and dance just can't work.
5 down, 150 Million to go.
Conversation This Evening
