As this wild year and even wilder week begins to come to a close, I finally felt compelled to write a bit about what has transpired. First off, I am proud to the core of my bones to be an American. I have served and defended this country in one capacity or another for the last 20 years, and will continue to do so as long as I am able. But let’s be honest…
America has an asshole problem.
Blame has swirled for the past week over Connecticut, mass shootings and probably the cause of pinkeye. But few if any choose to assign it where it lays most. In the hands and mind of the now deceased assailant. This is not to oversimplify, but if we held people responsible for their actions, prison sentences, incompetency hearings and intervention would have a greater level of import. But of course nothing is anybody’s fault anymore. Especially when you rob liquor stores since your daddy wouldn’t let you play soccer.
America, you see, has an asshole problem.
During the Watergate investigation of the early 70’s, Washington Post editor Ben Bradlee forced his reporters to independently corroborate every nugget of information they had (at times thrice) before he would run it. These days are gone. In the rush to be first in the news cycle, any network will run anything heard from anyone to sell airtime or an online banner. In the pre-OJ days, news was 90% info and 10% editorial. Now we are subjected to agenda-driven vitriol masquerading as news by the Matthews, the Hannitty’s, the Maddow’s, the O’Reilly’s et alia. Accuracy is not issue (even if you’re moderating a presidential debate). Somewhere it became OK for a reporter to shove a microphone in the face of a six-year-old minutes after a shooting. Of course there’s no shortage of sycophantic honey-boo-boo parents who allow (or even encourage) this to happen.
America, you see, has an asshole problem.
When you obsess over irrelevant details nobody gives a shit and you will never get your point across. If you argue the existence of the bible with an atheist by quoting scripture, trust me he will laugh in your face. So, for you “gun rights” folks, stop saying that an AR15 isn’t an “assault rifle.” It’s semantics and you sound stupid. To a non-gun owner, it’s black and looks the same. It was made by the same company, in the same factory, takes the same accessories, runs on the same ammo, and performs the same ballistically as it’s M4 brother. For you “anti-firearm” folks, if an assault is committed with a baseball bat, that makes it an “assault weapon.” Assault or military style weapons are efficient, effective killing tools. Good for taking lives. And if those lives happen to be criminals in the act of perpetrating violence against the law-abiding citizens of the US defending themselves or loved ones, I can’t imagine anyone being against it. To ask the question “why would anyone want or need a gun?” we can draw several conclusions: 1. You have never been a victim of crime, 2. Like an ostrich with it’s head in the sand you believe in the innate good nature of all people and an oversimplification of the hunter/victim relationship, 3. Like those who rely on the state for most, all or a growing number of necessities in life, you believe that someone else will intervene to save you… (Katrina anyone?)
And what of law enforcement? Ask a cop if he carries off duty. He’ll look at you and laugh… of course he does. Ask him if he keeps a weapon in the home. Of course he does. Why? Does he have no faith in his on-duty brothers to keep the peace and protect he and his family? The reality is that nobody has a greater grasp of the response time, capabilities and limitations of law enforcement, than cops themselves. So they carry.
During the Los Angeles riots post Rodney King verdict, Korean store owners kept looters and criminals bearing Molotov cocktails at bay from the roofs of their businesses while overwhelmed law enforcement were powerless to respond. Americans taking responsibility for their own safety and livelihood.
Stop talking about hunting, this is not a discussion regarding deer.
America, you see, has an asshole problem.
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