US must shake its Wild West attitude toward guns
In one bitter week, six dead in Kirkwood, MO and six in DeKalb, IL, an even dozen, from a fusillade of gunfire by two citizens armed and dangerous. This is not counting the other assorted incidents of victims killed by gun-toting citizens in our country last week alone.. I don’t have the exact number of deaths due to weapons legally obtained by the perpetrators. No doubt, that illustrious defender of the faith, ranting their spurious, self-serving interpretation of the Constitution of our right to bear arms, the NRA, keeps this total on their spreadsheets at Washington, DC. headquarters. In this hail of bullets members of this “militia” power-mad lobbying throng must be chanting, ” Hail to the NRA “. How many card-carrying members recited the Lords Prayer attending funerals of their slain friends?
Against an individuals intent on killing scores of others indiscriminately, the evidence is overwhelming that there is scant defense from limiting the initial carnage by officers of the law or average citizens, unarmed or armed with openly displayed or concealed weapons for defense. To those who defend the Missouri concealed-carry law I challenge each of them to be able to respond instantly and effectively to ongoing violence in a manner that would prevent the immediate bloodshed of others and their own imminent demise. At the very least law enforcement gets weapons training; most individuals have little more than rudimentary knowledge of weapons safety and use though they may like to think they are Cool Hand Luke with a fast draw.
Until we as a nation wake up from our 1870’s Wild West attitude toward guns, we will continue to witness these unspeakable, irrational killing rampages which compete for headline-grabbing attention with the daily slaughter of countless civilians and soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan. Both are a consequence of active and wrong-headed decisions we have brought upon ourselves. The ownership of all handguns and assault weapons by other than the appropriate authorities should be banned. Will we still be ringing our hands and hurting as many more people inevitably are taken down by legal and illegal guns? It is one quick step away from a deranged or angered citizen from pulling the trigger upon you and yours. Welcome to Iraq in Missouri.
Laurence C. Day
Ladue
Bravo Mr. Day…It’s hard to argue with people who believe guns should be easily accessible because illegal drugs cross our borders.
Since 1996, forty three (43) school shootings in America have claimed 126 lives. There were only 14 school children killed outside America in the same time period (80 countries).
The CDC reports that every 2 years more Americans die from guns than the total number of American soldiers killed during the 8 year Vietnam War…Approximately 30,000 every year.
Last year 3,012 children were killed by guns in the U.S. That’s 50 children every week, 8 children every day, one child every 3 hours….
Guns don’t kill people….Ask the parents of the 8 children who will take fatal bullets to their small bodies today.
Would these same Republican NRA gun freaks allow 8 abortions every day if it made them feel more like a man? Pro-life…my ASSault weapon.