Pragmatism, Passion And A Little Greek Guy

 

"The law is reason free from passion." Aristotle

I'm tired and I'm frustrated.

Who are these people who pontificate on what they deem to be "common sense?"  These self-important mooks who espouse the need for responsible gun laws - as if saying the word "responsible" makes the word "ban" the only reasonable and sure way to stop violence by gun.  And if you don't agree with them?  Then you are attacked as faulty or flawed.  These arrogant, pompous, pretentious and condescending buffoons who believe that if you aren't on their side, then you must be a heartless, soulless bastard who loves your guns more than the lives of the innocents lost to mass shootings by the insane.

Why do they believe this?  

Many conclude that if you experienced their heart breaking pain, their deep and fiery anger, their rage at the injustice of it all and cried - like they do - the tears of the emotionally spent, then you couldn't possibly come to any other conclusion. 

But they would be wrong.

Many of them believe if you look into the faces of the grieving, felt the horror of family, friends and the like minded countrymen of those murdered so brutally, watched the video of madmen with guns who mow down defenseless souls with impunity, there can be only one conclusion, only one solution.  There can only be one answer!

But they would be wrong.

If you dare not agree with them, you are viewed as a mouth breathing, slow witted oaf who holds on to your guns tighter than Chinese Finger Locks on a fat mans thumbs - and to think any other way makes you a pariah.  

But, again, they would be wrong.

Pragmatism vs Emotion

Aristotle said "Law is reason free from passion."  It is my opinion that those who make the laws, should also remain free from passion... or emotion.

I find most gun owners I talk with are pragmatists.  There isn't a whole lot a gray area involved with many answers.  Two plus two always equals four.  It doesn't change due to someones religion or race.  It doesn't maybe have another answer because someone is mentally ill.  It doesn't become 4.23 because an innocent child died or the perpetrator was unemployed.  It doesn't become a negative number due to of a lack of education or parenting or the illegal use of drugs.  It is what it is.

But it doesn't mean we don't care - we just tend to look at the problem with a simple and straightforward view.  For me, the view is something like this...

The Second Amendment is not up for debate.  It is a Right, just like the First Amendment supports the right to free speech.  We have the right to keep and bear arms.  So, its time to move it along, because there is nothing to see here.

When we see the news of a mass shooting, it makes us sick to our stomach, the same as you.  It breaks our hearts, the same as you.  It enrages us, the same as you.  We cry, trust me we cry, the same as you... and we are ashamed for our great country, the same as you... and then we look at the facts and attempt to come up with an answer.

This is what we see; A mentally ill man entered a school with a gun, where, by law, no guns are allowed - and then shot as many people as possible - which is also against the law - before killing himself - which is also against the law.  And we think...

How did a mentally ill guy get a gun?  How did he get into the school so easily?  Why wasn't someone there to stop him after he started shooting?  And we think...

We need to identify and help those who are mentally ill, so the odds go down on this happening again.  If those who allowed the shooter  access to a gun knew he was in trouble mentally, they should be held responsible - sending a message to gun owners reminding us of our responsibilities, not just to ourselves but to those around us.  Schools need more security - only those with a reason to be there should be allowed in.  Schools should allow those trained in the use of their guns to be volunteer security (including Teachers) so our children are as safe as we can realistically make them and the cost to the school districts is zero.

We need to look at the facts and realize that Gun Free Zones are nothing more than shooting galleries.  We also need to understand that even if we made it legal to carry guns everywhere, the crazy people and the bad guys would still have guns, still attempt mass shootings and may still accomplish their objective.  But by allowing concealed carry in schools, you have the chance to  minimize the damage should the worst happen - and give those innocents who are about to die, the opportunity to live.

We need to be aware that our Government can not keep us safe from all those who wish to do us harm - not from outside our borders, nor within.  Government can try, but the reality is it can't - and we shouldn't expect or assume it can..

And for those who still believe a safe society is a defenseless society, I ask you this...

If we registered all the guns and the government came and took them all away, do you believe the bad guys and the psychopaths wouldn't be able to get their hands on guns?  Your answer says more about you than you might think.

A pragmatist knows that Evil finds a way - but he also knows you don't give Evil free reign.  Good people with guns shouldn't scare you.  Bad people with guns should make you quake in your boots.


Just my opinion.

Hipshot