Poor Simon! :) He's gone and jumped, both feet, into one of the sacred cows of the "civilised" world. And he's not only done it once but twice within a matter of days.
After the horrible slaughter of people this past week in the USA, the debate is raging yet again about Gun Control.
It seems that the issue rates barely a mention in any country where they HAVE gun control whereas for the United States...certain groups are very vocal indeedy about their guns and their "right" to own them and use them how they see fit.
Saying that perhaps smacks of being really "Anti-American". I guess in this one instance I am a little.
I do NOT understand the American passion for gun ownership! I never have and I probably never will. To me it is blind selfishness and total paranoia. I realise the history of this goes waaaay back for the American people. It still doesn't make any sense to me.
I respect guns for sure. I was once in the Australian Army Reserves and have had a lot of experience with powerful rifles, sub-machine guns and the like. I do not like guns though. I find them distasteful devices that spell D.E.A.T.H. for any living thing they happen to be fired at. One can respect the power and the responsibility of owning and using a gun in say a sport like Clay-target shooting or where the farmer must destroy vermin who ravage his crops and livelihood, but owning one for any other reason than these is to me hypocritical. Of course being in any legitmate Defence Organisation like the Military is a no-brainer...war is ugly but it will always be with us unfortunately. Guns are married to that whole war thing naturally and intrinsically. I won't argue that point anymore here.
Of what PURPOSE could having a gun in ones home for "self-defence" serve? To me, it breeds mistrust and what you believe you will eventually reap.
If you believe there are people "out to get you" and that your family is only "safe" if you have your gun "by your side" ... then the liklihood is that that is exactly the culture you will breed around you. Mistrust breeds mistrust and blood spills yet more blood - be it animal or human.
I'm sorry.
This is probably the most vocal on any subject I've ever been here before. I do not wish to offend my American readers. I hope and pray that the ones who do bother to read this blog are also saddened and at a loss as to why their beautiful country has become so awash with such a mentality and sheer passion for gun ownership.
It's spiralling ever futher out of control from my perspective too. The more passionately fearful and paranoid people become in their homes and communities, the more likely it seems that the death toll and injury rate increases through the use of firearms. Safety? Of what use is safety if the very culture itself is fraught with such fear in the first place?
As for those who are beligerent about their right to bear arms, then please note that here in my country it would be an offence for me to do so and I also follow the "rules" of my constitution. There can be no gain in trying to convince me that the right to own a gun is justifiable until you prove you/they are in the Military, or the member of a clay-target shooting club or are a farmer protecting your country's food supply. All other reasons will have no truck with me.
Poor Simon. He has had to field a lot of comments this past week for his vocal dislike of lax gun laws. It may be a matter of personal perspective...then again it also might be the voice of a moderate calling for some sense in a sea of insanity.
Religion, Politics and Guns seem to bring out the polarity in all of us. We are either for or against and never the twain shall meet. It's hard to sit on the fence with any of these topics and it is kind of sad really that consensus will never actually exist because one side is either right or very, very, wrong anyway.
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