Responsibility

I was asked yesterday about my opinion on gun control laws, especially as they pertain to assault rifles. I had not considered assault rifles in my opinion about gun control, as I never had any intention of owning one. I hope assault rifles, of the semi and fully automatic variety, are banned from public use. That they are reserved for military and law enforcement officials, and that there is a HEFTY MANDATORY jail sentence for possession. As for handguns and rifles [of the NON semi auto or auto variety] I hope the current laws allowing sane responsible citizens will be upheld. Go ahead and test me, and do a backround check, but do not make a permit for a gun so hard for a law abiding sane citizen to get that they give up. Everyone has the right to protect themselves, as they see fit, within the confines of the law. I do NOT want my second amendment rights trampled on by the actions of mentally ill thieves. I do NOT want

[excuse me, for I do not know what the correct term is...the right? The left? the liberals? The conservatives? I  am tired of of those labels and refuse to use them. I also stop reading and ignore any article in which the author feels the need to fall back on them.]

ANY POLITICAL group to start blabbering about how the NRA is at fault. The woman who allowed her mentally ill son access to her weapons was at fault. And I will not defend the NRA. They rightly see that events are being used to try to curtail the second amendment, but they are going about protecting that amendment in what I believe is the wrong way. If it was not for the NRA, I don't know WHAT kind of second amendment rights I would have left now.

Let's remember that mental healthcare can have all the friggin mandates  obama can throw at it...but they are largely unfunded. So any discussion about gun laws needs to include the unlegislatable.....the mentally ill. If they can't get or steal guns, they will use other things as weapons.

Let's discuss the media. The ceaseless coverage of tragedies.  Interviewing LITTLE KIDS as they exit the building that their teachers and friends were murdered in. Keeping a "headcount", and comparing that "headcount" to past tragedies. I'd like to muzzle the media. Only media local to the tragedy should be allowed unfettered constant coverage, for the locals. The major media outlets should really examine their culpability in any future tragedies. They created the bar, and THEY continue to raise it with their coverage.

Lastly, there should be a discussion about classroom safety. Starting at the building entrances, moving to the main office, and ending at the doors of the classroom. Those discussions will be held by the schools and districts themselves. Building security. We now see that the mentally ill, having been given a platform by the media who keep a headcount and compare current tragedies to past ones as if they were different periods of a hockey game, will continue to aim for public places that are not defended, "undefended", or "Soft defended". Lets keep our word, to ourselves and our kids, and Protect The Children. Don't let this tragedy pass without thoughtful considered NONpolitical debate. You don't have to have a religion to keep those families in your thoughts. Work, as you can, to find a way to stop this from ever happening again. No politics, no religion. Help the mentally ill or remove them from the general population, and keep the kids safe.

I see, as I write this, that there are 9 days left until Christmas. My prayers will continue to be with the families who lost loved ones. I cannot imagine the horror.