"Gun control would never work... I don't own one myself"
[I wrote a couple of hours ago a pretty calm screed for doing SOMETHING about all these gun-related killings. A good friend here wrote me back, saying eloquently why I was wrong. And he's not anunreasonable guy -- but, in responding, I sorta got out of hand. I reread it, decided to send it -- and then decided to share it here., for better or worse...]
Fine -- your friends stand a better chance of not dying at your hands. (Unless you opt for swords or poison darts... or Col. Mustard's candelabra.)
But there are MANY* crazy people out there, and you wouldn't even fit into the NRA's insane plan to deal with shooters -- be armed to the teeth yourself.
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* I think it's safe to say a half-million of our supposedly upright citizens would yield to the temptation to use a pistol if it were handy. That's only one in 600 Americans -- but it's a fucking huge number.
Let's say many have poor aim (or are pissed at only one or two people, max), so the average is a mere 3-5 dead per incident -- it's STILL upwards of TWO MILLION ugly, bloody, godawful deaths AND, let's say, 4-5 seriously grieving family and close friends EACH -- that's upwards of TEN MILLION sorrowing, perhaps horribly broken, survivors!!
Maybe that's too high: would you settle for a MILLION grief-stricken people, and, oh, a mere half-million direct victims? Still too high? You like a paltry HUNDRED THOU? How about FIVE THOUSAND? Nah, that's TOO few -- several times that. Is this otherwise-rational nation going to indulge the rabid right-wing in its lame fantasies, and "settle" for ALL this MAYHEM??
Fine -- your friends stand a better chance of not dying at your hands. (Unless you opt for swords or poison darts... or Col. Mustard's candelabra.)
But there are MANY* crazy people out there, and you wouldn't even fit into the NRA's insane plan to deal with shooters -- be armed to the teeth yourself.
______________
* I think it's safe to say a half-million of our supposedly upright citizens would yield to the temptation to use a pistol if it were handy. That's only one in 600 Americans -- but it's a fucking huge number.
Let's say many have poor aim (or are pissed at only one or two people, max), so the average is a mere 3-5 dead per incident -- it's STILL upwards of TWO MILLION ugly, bloody, godawful deaths AND, let's say, 4-5 seriously grieving family and close friends EACH -- that's upwards of TEN MILLION sorrowing, perhaps horribly broken, survivors!!
Maybe that's too high: would you settle for a MILLION grief-stricken people, and, oh, a mere half-million direct victims? Still too high? You like a paltry HUNDRED THOU? How about FIVE THOUSAND? Nah, that's TOO few -- several times that. Is this otherwise-rational nation going to indulge the rabid right-wing in its lame fantasies, and "settle" for ALL this MAYHEM??