For at least two dozen families this day will constantly be seared into every fiber of their collective beings, for this is the day another deranged American hunted and needlessly killed more than two dozen of his - unarmed - neighbors in a small community. And to make matters worse, he killed 20 little children between the ages of 5 and 10 years old. Twenty little children sitting in their school classrooms. Twenty little children loved by their families. Twenty little children who were probably counting the days until Santa Claus arrived. Twenty little children who did nothing to this human hunter armed with an assault rifle and other guns. Twenty little children who were innocent, with their whole lives ahead. Twenty little children now laying in a morgue. Twenty families shattered.
And why did this happen in the greatest country on the face of this earth? We may never know the motive for this unspeakable event because this armed coward dressed in black killed himself, rather than face the consequences of his actions.
Obviously there was certainly something very wrong with this individual. Surely no one in his or her right mind would commit such a horrible act of mass murder. But if he was so ill, so deranged, so in need of help, why didn't somebody take note and do something?
In the United States we have had too many cases of mass murder. While mass murder doesn't happen often, it shouldn't happen at all. Maybe we should pledge - all Americans - that this will be the LAST mass murder in our country. Maybe it is time we take back out streets and protect one another. Maybe we should find a way to ban certain guns because the guns are the weapon of choice for mass murder and the mentally ill seem to be able to get their hands on those guns and use them to end lives, shatter families, and take away the peace we all deserve in this country.
I am all for providing mental health care for all Americans if it makes America a safer and better place in which to live.
And now I am in favor of gun control. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for having guns for legitimate purposes, such as sport hunting or for protecting people faced by wild animals encroaching into residential areas or camp grounds. However, in my opinion, no one in this country needs to own assault guns which are made for hunting and killing people.
The second amendment to our Constitution was written in the 1700s when this country had to have local militias to protect in time of war. We are well past that point in our history. Today we have local police, state police, local sheriffs and deputies, FBI, Border Patrol, ATF, ICE, Homeland Security, many other local, state and national law enforcement agents, plus the National Guard. If the bad guys don't have guns, then the good people don't need guns to protect themselves and their property.
I've heard the argument that guns don't kill people, people kill people. If you want another troubling argument you can say guns don't kill people ... it is the bullets inside the guns that kill. Well how about this one ... what kills are the bullets inside the guns which are held by people who pull the trigger based upon what is going on in their sick heads. Take away the bullets then the guns are irrelevant, then people with issues can't hurt other people.
It's a matter of semantics and we can make every argument under the sun.
Bottom line, if there were no guns and ammo in that Connecticut home this morning, there would be 20 little children snug in their beds tonight dreaming of Santa's arrival and their parents would be planning wonderful Christmas events.
Instead, there are 20 families grieving, picking out tiny caskets, and deciding what clothes in which to bury their children ... BURY THEIR LITTLE CHILDREN the week before Christmas.
In my mind, it's time to quit standing behind the second amendment and decide what is important in this country. How many more have to die before we stand up and say enough is enough?
Come on America! Take a stand! Prove we are a civilized nation where we value life more than a 230 year old clause in the Constitution ... a clause that is proven to be abused in this 21st century America.
As Americans the best Christmas gift we can give to our nation, each other, our children, and our children's children is to take a stand, join together, make our voices heard in Washington and demand gun control that is in line with the way our country and our people exist in the 21st century.
I'm a news junkie, and that's what a news junkie thinks!
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