October 27, 2008

  • This year Chicago is the murder capital of the country. And as if to prove the point, Jennifer Hudson's mom, brother and nephew were all murdered. It has been a stunningly heartbreaking bad year for Illinois and guns. First there was the Lane Bryant killings in early February in which 5 people were murdered in a Lane Bryant store in Tinley Park. Then there was the stunning shooting at Northern Illinois University on Valentine's Day in which a man shot and killed 5 people before killing himself. Honestly, that one I took kind hard because I knew so many people who had gone to NIU at some point in their lives.

    In August there was a tragedy in my best friends family that left 2 people dead due to gun violence. Out of my respect to my friend, I will leave out anymore details. And although I'm not really a fan of Hudson, I can't help but feel for her especially after being so close to the situation with my friend. When I heard today on the radio into work that they had found the body of Hudson's 7 year old nephew, I couldn't help but feel sad and disgusted by it all. I still think about my friend's situation and talk to him about it on a regular basis.

    I've always spoke out against guns but until this past August it had never had anything that could bring it so close to home. My question is, when is it enough? At what point do we as citizens start to demand changes? And what changes could be made? Republicans like to talk big about being for families and kids and how they are against abortion because it takes the life of a child. But, what about after the child is born? They don't seem to care then. I know what the NRA and other gun nuts like to say that guns save lives because having a gun helps you to protect your family. You can slice it anyway you want, I just can't make sense that having more guns more accessible to people makes children safer. Statistic after statistic has proven that people who own guns are more likely to shoot themselves or a family member than an intruder. And here is a cold hard fact that these Republicans need to consider: guns have killed far more people than gay marriage; maybe they need to focus more of their attention on gun violence than gays getting married.

    I know that the 2nd amendment guarantees the right to bear arms. But, its just that, an amendment which by definition is put in place to amend a contract. Now I'm not outright saying we need to give up our right to bear arms, after all we should have the right to defend ourselves. That being said, we need to take a closer look and reexamine this very important issue. I know there is a lot of American pride that refuses to accept that other countries might have something right that we have wrong but we need to look at other countries and see what they are doing right that doesn't end up with tens of thousands of people being murdered each year. Our country worships the gun, just look around at entertainment. And toys. There is such an importance put on guns. Almost from the time a child learns to walk, guns are thought of as cool. Kids are given guns as toys and watch tv and movies that have guns. To have a gun is to have power, importance and invincibility. Why is it that people use guns to compensate for so much. Maybe for lack of brains or brawn. Maybe due to insecurity in themselves. Maybe because they are not well endowed. They use the excuse of guns to hide behind because they claim its for safety when in reality its about compensation and insecurity. If you need a gun to keep yourself safe, maybe you need to take a look at yourself and the life you are leading which requires you to carry or own a gun.  At what point do we realize that guns usually only end up in death or severe injury. Honestly, can you think of any situation in which a gun has lead to peace to everybody?

    Republicans belong to the party of guns. Its like what Rage says "Rally around the family, with a pocket full of shells" as they spend so much time claiming to be protectors of children when in reality they can't do the most important thing which is help keep children alive and out of gun violence. Gun violence should be another reason why Republicans can't be trusted and should not be put into office.

    Maybe then they will finally get it. And maybe the rest of America will get it too.