Fun With Guns: Guns for Everyone!

The solution to the problem of mass shootings and even the threat of terrorist attacks is to make sure that there are enough guns that a shooter would be stopped by an armed citizen. The reason so few mass shootings have actually been prevented this way is that there just aren’t enough guns out there.

It is clear what we must do: give everyone a gun – or two! A shooter would have to be crazy to attempt to cause a massacre because each victim is also a potential shooter!

But what if the shooter has an automatic weapon? What if the shooter goes into a school?

The solution is simple: teachers should be permitted to carry automatic weapons and their students should be armed, just in case. Weapons should be as important an item on the school supply list as crayons, smocks, and paste. Perhaps students should purchase ammunition for their teachers just as they now bring in boxes of tissue paper.

Consider the possibilities: This would not only protect our schools from mass shootings, it could also be the ultimate solution to the problem of bullying. You’d have to be out of your mind to bully a kid you knew was packing a pistol.

Since everyone is going to have a gun, this would resolve a host of social issues. No more domestic violence or armed robbery. It would be insane to drive by and shoot someone when the person around the next corner could shoot back! Who would do that?

Frankly, there is a lot out there to fear. There are bad guys (and even some bad gals) around every corner. People who do bad things, say bad words, and think bad thoughts, This is endangering our right to live the lives we want. If we all had guns, those people would have lots of good reasons to change their evil ways!

Think about it: that person texting in the movie theater, cutting you off on the highway, budging in line at the store, or putting up idiotic signs on his lawn would be stopped in his tracks! This is democracy in action!

It would be the end of crime. Should someone be stupid enough to actually step out of line, BANG! No one would make that mistake more than once!

We would have a renaissance of civility. People would treat each other well again. They would think about what they did or said because it could have serious consequences. Would they make fun of people who believed that vaccinations cause autism? I don’t think so. Would they criticize politicians who want to ban gay marriage but end up having gay affairs? Not in public, they wouldn’t!

No more name-calling! No more silly questions. People would do good things, say good words, and think good thoughts - or they would have to face the wrath of those who disagreed! We’d be perfectly confident that no one would offend! We could call it that: perfect confidence or PC for short!

Laurie Anderson said it best. In United States Live, she noted that “to be really safe you should always carry a bomb on an airplane. Because the chances of there being one bomb on a plane are pretty small. But the chances of two bombs are almost minuscule. So by carrying a bomb on a plane, the odds of your becoming a hostage or of getting blown up are astronomically reduced.” Now that is logical! Why can’t our politicians think this way?

If every man, woman, child, and pet had a gun, the odds of being shot or being a victim of a crime would greatly reduced. Why aren’t we doing this right now? That is the great question! Talk to your congressmen right way – or better yet…

Thoughts and Prayers Are Not Enough – We Must Take Action!

While it may bring us some comfort to say we are thinking or praying for those in Paris and Beirut, it is not enough. Although statements of solidarity may be comforting to the victims and their families (and to us), we must also take action.

What can we do? What more do we have to offer than our condolences and outrage? Quite a lot! We can work to change our communities, countries, the world, and ourselves. We can add our voices to our prayers and thoughts, our contributions to worthy causes, and then roll up our sleeves and do something!

Through the products we purchase, the politicians we support, and charities we fund, and the actions we take, we make a difference. People all over the world are living in conditions that breed terrorism. Poverty, disease, unemployment, and brutal circumstances are far too common throughout much of the developing world. How do we benefit from their suffering? We must work to find ways to rectify the conditions that create extremism. In addition to giving to causes that work to end these deplorable conditions, we must also examine how our behaviors, both individually and as a community and country, contribute to and perhaps even profit from this sad state.

Because of natural resources like oil, strategic locations, or political expediency our government has supported regimes that value neither human rights nor human dignity. We have valued our prosperity and comfort over the well-being of very poor people. Whether we approve or disapprove – or even if we know about these issues – our country acts on our behalf and in our names. Our well-being is intertwined with the well-being of people all over the world. If we prosper at the expense of those far away, we (or those we love) will pay for that abuse later. In this global age, we must work to make sure that all people live in safe, secure, and sustainable conditions.

Learning about the causes and issues surrounding terrorism feels selfish if it's only for our own edification. Using that knowledge to demand that our legislators and government officials change the role our country is playing internationally is a step toward addressing the larger pieces of this very complicated puzzle.

Terrorism is about fear. It is about fomenting hate and division. Another way we can take action is to actively fight the fear, and build bridges between people with different ideas, beliefs, backgrounds, and values. It is by creating the kind of world the terrorists are trying to destroy!

Starting with thoughts and prayers is fine. Ending there is copping out. Go further. Make some contributions. Learn about the larger issues. Engage in policy discussions. Change your consumer choices. Actively work for peace.

Yes, we all have important tasks. Yes, we all have jobs, families, and communities, which require great amounts of time and energy. Is all you can spare a few thoughts? Is that all that this is worth? We must go further. It is our responsibility and obligation. The fate of our world rests with our choices. Get out there and do something!