The state of guns in the US
Recently, a fourth grader brought a loaded gun to my grandson’s elementary school. The mother was arrested and the boy expelled. I am livid. What kind of country worships guns and the horrific damage they inflict on a daily basis?
Right now, guns are the leading cause of childhood death. The gun lobby and the Republicans are in bed together and base their stance on a misreading of the Constitution. It clearly states that guns are to be used to form a militia to fight against an attack by outsiders, not to be used to kill other citizens.
Today, with our armed services, police departments, etc., we have ample means to protect ourselves against other nations. We do not need homegrown militias.
The Constitution is old and, in many respects, out of date for a modern, complex country of 340 million people. Would we go to a doctor who still practices medicine the way it was done 250 years ago? Of course not. Yet we still base so many decisions on a document that was put together by a group of men — wealthy, white men — who, although very progressive in some ideals, still agreed to allow slavery, ignored women’s rights completely and couldn’t have ever imagined the kinds of weapons that would be invented and used against the children of their nation.
There is much, in terms of a general guide, to admire in our Constitution. I love this country for its basic ideals of “all men are created equal,” but even that belief came with caveats by our forefathers .There is also much in that document that led our nation toward possible destruction, such as the inclusion of the rights to own other human beings. They were flawed men, not perfect men. And even they knew that the Constitution needed the flexibility to adapt to change, which is why they included the path to do so.
It’s time we acknowledge that our forefathers would be horrified that small children in school would be victims of their attempts to protect our fledgling nation against much larger and stronger nations. It’s time we recognize that widespread and unfettered ownership of guns is horrific in this nation. And increasing at an alarming rate.
How many more small children must be blown to bits before we act to stop this carnage?