I reckon what would be best is if we all just chilled out a bit; but I realise, as do we all, that a global “chilling out” is not particularly likely to happen. Humans get aggro, some people behave mental and some people are mental. There’s always going to be discontent and rage in the world, which means there will always be violence. So in my uneducated opinion: guns should be as hard to get as possible. (I also believe that swords, missile launchers and flamethrowers should be difficult to purchase).
Everyone knows there are a lot of firearms in the US. People are prepared to rally and march to make sure they maintain their “right to bare arms”. Personally it seems like a bit of a bad idea, after all, you can kill someone with a gun very easily indeed, and sometimes (often) by mistake. So to play devil’s advocate, what do the gun-lovers say that is so compelling? Well, they reckon they should have a firearm in order to protect their family if the worst were to occur. The gun lovers of America believe it is their God given right to be allowed a gun to protect their family from terrorists, burglars and… aliens.
More kids with guns on the next page…
I read some bits and bobs on the pro-gun internet and one girl said when interviewed that if she carries a gun it makes her instantly as rough and tough as anyone she comes up against. That’s true. If I were a small defenceless person hanging about after dark, a gun would make me feel a lot safer. But when we live in a culture made up of thousands of individuals, we have to think about what’s best for everyone. It’s tempting to want to do what’s best for you and your family (even though everyone but you thinks your family are a bunch of plums).
We need altruism. That’s a skill that’s hard won. We need to stop killing each other and robbing. But to do that everyone must first be equal, and to do that we must be financially even and totally without bias. And as neither of those things are going to happen anytime soon (or ever, if you’re a realist like me) it follows that disorder and violence will be constant bedfellows of us mournful human creatures.
I always say “don’t bring me a problem unless you have a solution” (I’ve never said that), but some problems can’t be easily solved. The Dali Lama is a complete dude, and he has a lot to say on mindfulness and the consideration of others, I wholeheartedly agree with his principles. I could do with following some of his pointers myself, but I don’t. I’m too stressed to start being mindful, however would I fit it into my busy schedule?
So if I can’t be bothered to make myself more open to liberalism, peace, harmony and understanding, how can I expect others to?
More guns overleaf…
Now let’s consider “Barry”. Barry can barely read, he has never been loved, he can’t afford a packet of crisps. Can we expect him to try to be mindful? He can’t. He is angry, and it is humans and society that have made him so.
What does Barry want to do? He wants to eat. But, he has no money, so he begs, but he’s told to “frig off” etc. So he grows in rage. The Christian shelter feeds him for a couple of nights, but he’s bored, and tired, he wants more, he wants a bed. Barry decides to rob someone.
Barry, our now hardened human wants to break in somewhere, anywhere, to get some food. If he comes across another human whilst he’s in the target property he will fight, but only if the resident is small and he will run if they are bigger or armed, that’s his decision…
The arm America brigade would say “good, we lost another portion of earth’s human scum.” But I say… “we made the scum, we are making more scum and your are, at best, a murderer.”
That little story there was a textbook “bleeding heart liberal” point of view, I am aware of that. At the end of the day, if someone broke into my house looking to sell my computer for his next crack hit, and he had a knife, and he went for my family, I would want a gun. And I know that if I had a gun I would shoot him dead rather than see my family slaughtered by a junkie with no scruples.
I personally believe the real problem is that humans are inherently faulty. We can never achieve true altruism. Many will die, not trying.
