What does it say about American’s and Arizona in particular, when in just a few days after the Tucson shootings on Jan 8, gun sales have sharply risen. Not only did gun sales rise, sales of the particular model of Glock 9 mm semiautomatic used in the shooting skyrocketed. In Arizona Golck sales have risen 60% in one week.
Jared Loughner, the mentally disturbed shooter, was able to fire multiple rounds very quickly before even thinking about reloading because of the type of gun he was able to easily purchase. He killed 6 people including a 9 year old girl and wounded others including Congressman Giffords who was shot in the head point blank. Not only was Loughner able to buy this type of gun, he was able to purchase 30 round clips from Walmart which to me seems beyond irresponsible, and bizarre. “Hey Honey, will you go to Walmart and pick up a birthday present for little Timmy, some chips for the BBQ at Aunt Sally’s, and a couple of 30 round clips for my Glock in case I need to kill a whole bunch of people really fast? Oh and Sweetie, pick up a couple of extra 30 round clips in case I run out…….you know me and my Irish temper” Are you serious?
So my question is; what does it say about our country that we even allow large capacity automatic weapons like this to be sold to ANYONE, let alone to a mentally disturbed individual? This type of weapon and others like it, have only one purpose and that is to kill as many people as possible very quickly…………….let me repeat that so it will sink in a bit……..the only purpose for this and other such weapons is to kill as many people as possible very quickly. These are NOT hunting rifles or really something that the average person would use for self-defense (unless of course they were being attacked by a mob of zombies or perhaps lived outside the Green Zone in Iraq). I can honestly say that in my 56 years I have NEVER needed to kill a large number of people quickly. I also lived in Tucson for 9 years and NEVER needed to pack a gun with a high capacity magazine when I went to Toys-R-Us or even the mall.
People say “It’s my constitutional right to own guns.” Ok, but……does the meaning right to bear arms mean we have the right to buy or sell any weapon we choose even if these weapons are a real threat to others? Can I own anti-tank weapons, bazookas, or perhaps live grenades? Do I have the right and SHOULD I have the right to set up a bunker in my front yard, surround myself with razor wire, and hide behind a machine gun aimed at everyone who walks or skateboards down the sidewalk because I might be afraid my government will get me someday? At what point do we say “OK, this crosses the line and she has jumped on the train to Crazy Town?”
People argue, “Well, I’m a collector and I like owning these weapons.” (These are generally people who didn’t finish high school, let their children play video games where they can kill people for fun, and hang out with others who live in compounds). Ok, let’s look at this a bit. Don’t you think for public safety reasons there should be some kind of record of individuals who collect weapons whose only purpose is for killing humans quickly?
I grew up with a family that hunted. I understand hunting for meat (although now that I am a grown up, stalking and killing animals no longer seems like a civilized activity and I prefer to go to the grocery store) and to a warped extent I understand the primitive need for some men and women to hunt for sport, which I hope lessens as we evolve as a species. I understand collecting things because I really love minerals and fossils and for a time I was addicted to buying new telescope eyepieces. What I don’t understand is the type of warped individuals who are either fascinated with graphic video games where killing and maiming humans is the way to have a good time, or who are fascinated and obsessed with owning and collecting weapons that kill other humans in various gruesome ways. In my opinion, if you are a person who enjoys or participates in the following you need professional help:
• Watching, enjoying, or getting off on, gory movies involving other humans being hurt, tortured, killed, maimed, beheaded or disemboweled……you should perhaps think about why you would find these things to be entertaining and then check yourself into a psychiatric hospital for an evaluation.
• Owns or collects (or dreams about) semiautomatic or other weapons meant only for killing other human beings…….you should think seriously about why you are fascinated with how and what would kill humans more quickly and effectively and……….check yourself into a psychiatric hospital.
• If you are obsessed with or addicted to violent realistic video games where your main goal is to hurt and kill other human beings, steal cars, or rape women….. and if you are letting your children play these types of games and allowing them to grow up believing that maiming and killing other human beings is fun and a great way to pass the time…………..you should get your children and yourself into counseling immediately and take parenting classes.
• If you are arming yourself and your family with semiautomatic weapons and lots of ammo, and are living on or dreaming about living on a compound (or saving for razor wire for that “compound look and feel”), or associating with friends who take part in pretend military exercises in the woods, or find yourself believing that the government really DOES want to put you in a FEMA Camp or control your mind…………you should check your whole family into a psychiatric hospital.
• If you and your family can’t wait for the next gun show and newest ammo purchase…….perhaps you should try miniature golf or a movie instead of walking through a gun show saying, “Look Timmy, this gun can kill 20 people in just a few seconds. Let’s get this for mom for Mother’s Day ok?” You should also take a parenting class.
• Last but not least, if you were one of the deranged who heard about the horrific shootings in Tucson and said to yourself or your children, “Wow, kids, we need to go and buy one of those guns.” You should walk yourself over to the police department……..warn them about your children, the future serial killers you are raising………..Call Social services and tell them to PLEASE put your kids in foster care………then check yourself into the psychiatric hospital.
Balance is the key here. We are so afraid of taking away someone’s right to own a gun we are “throwing the baby out with the bathwater” and letting anyone and everyone own “hand held weapons of mass destruction” regardless of what kind of danger to society they become. We are catering to the crazies by allowing these weapons to be legal. The argument of “Well we need to have these legal or only criminals will have them” is bullshit. If we want to be a civilized society and not a society of thugs, we need to stop glorifying the killing humans in movies, video games, and even gun shows. We need to stop allowing the promotion and sales of bigger, better, and faster ways to kill humans.
Jared Loughner was disturbed and did not get the professional help he desperately needed because in America it is easier to buy a gun than it is to get mental health treatment.
My advice for parents; if you have a child who needs to see a mental health professional for whatever reason, be a loving and responsible parent and see that they get the help they need. Don’t tell me “I can’t afford it.” That’s BS and you know it. If you can afford to buy them a PlayStation or a Wii or a cell phone, do them a bigger favor and get them professional help if they need before they grow up and hurt others or themselves. How about NOT buying a fancy coffee drink everyday and put the money aside to get your child help for depression?
We NEED better gun laws and we NEED better help for individuals suffering from mental illness but sadly………Americans seem to feel that they bigger and faster guns.
