Today with a heavy heart I read about yet another school shooting. This one was a 32 year old guy with a 20 year old grudge and a semi-automatic. He lined up eleven little girls against the chalkboard and shot them (three died, eight wounded) execution style before killing himself. Two of the wounded girls have since passed on. This is the third school shooting in less than a week.
As a pacifist (registered with the Selective Service) and an elementary school teacher for a decade, I am very upset every time this happens. I'm torn between two strong emotions, deep sadness and bitter anger. I'm saddened that these children will never experience all the joys life had to offer them. I also grieve for what their parents must be going through. I'm angry that God could have prevented them from dying this way and yet did not choose to do so.
My religion teaches that God lets us freely make our own decisions but paradoxically also knows what will happen as all a part of "God's Plan." Basic logic tells us that these two concepts are mutually exclusive but in my experience God doesn't adhere to human logic. While I have faith in God in the driver's seat and resist the urge to be a "backseat driver," this is one of those times I wish he would use the bright headlights!
So although I cannot control what others do (and God won't) that leaves me with making my own choices. Today has strengthened my resolve to support federal, comprehensive gun-control legislation and those who work to make this legislation law. For too long the National Rifle Association has used the money of its members to make it possible for this man (and otherslike him) to legally buy weapons because it's his "right as an American to bear arms." I'm FED UP with a "fool's right to his tools of rage." How many more of our children have to die before we stand up and say ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!?
The Second Amendment long ago has outlived its purpose and our children are dying. There is no legitimate reason why anyone would need a semi-automatic weapon! The NRA is an accomplice in these killings and yet does nothing to stop it! Where does the NRA send its money? It funds the party that currently controls the White House and both houses of Congress. Also funded by weapons manufacturers, consequently this party has committed itself to pro-gun support and the war in Iraq.
I am OUTRAGED that a government "for the people and by the people" deliberately mislead us into this war that has killed thousands and then had the GALL to distract us into voting for them AGAIN by trumpeting "family values!" Unbelievable! I ask you: How many children have died as a result of two people somewhere getting married? Easy answer- NONE, ZERO, ZIP. How many children have died as a result of gun violence? Just ONE is ONE too many!!
My fellow Americans: do the math and vote your conscience next month! You can bet I will!
To The Teeth by Ani DiFranco
The sun is settin on the century and we are armed to the teeth.
We are all working together now to make our lives mercifully brief.
Schoolkids keep trying to teach us what guns are all about.
Confuse liberty with weaponry and watch your kids act it out.
Every year now like Christmas some boy gets the mildfed surburban blues.
Reaches for the avaliable arsenal and saunters off to make the news
And women in the middle are learning what poor women have always known.
That the edge is closer than you think when your men bring the guns home.
Look at where the profits are, that's how you'll find the source,
of the big lie that you and I both know so well, the time it takes this cultural death wish to run its course
They're gonna make a pretty penny and then they're all going to hell.
He said the chickens all come home to roost-yeah, malcom forecasted this flood
Are we really gonna sleep through another century while the rich profit off our blood?
True, it may take some doing to see this undoing done
but in my humble opinion here's what I suggest we do:
open fire on Hollywood, open fire on MTV,
open fire on NBC and CBS and ABC,
open fire on the NRA and all the lies they told us along the way.
open fire on each weapons manufacturer while he's giving head to some Republican senator.
and if I hear one more time about fool's rights to his tools of rage.
I'm gonna take all my friends and I'm gonna move to Canada and we're gonna die of old age.
Tuesday, October 03, 2006
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1 comment:
Really good post. I've long believed that the NRA has out lived it's usefulness in our society. I do strongly believe that parents need to assume some responsibity in teaching gun control. I grew up with guns. We lived off the meat my father provided by hunting. We were taught at a very early age to respect guns. We were also taught basic gun safety. If all children are taught these lessons then I think they would understand the damange and destruction that can happen and hopefully they would stop bringing guns to school.
I'm ready for my warm puppy now.
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