Save the U.S. - Ban Guns

(This began as an email to my father-in-law after the assassination attempt on Rep. Giffords. I repeat it here, unedited.)


The poor U.S. You know, there is really no need for anyone to have handguns or rapid fire rifles in their possession. I remember after Bobby Kennedy and Dr. King were gunned down there was a serious movement to ban handguns in the U.S. (granted King and JFK were done in by rifles, but let's not quibble - it would have been a start) much as the UK did years later after those Scottish schoolchildren were murdered. That, as I recall it. was the start of this stupid 7th Amendment bull$hit. the 2nd Amendment was to protect local militias against a British takeover of the government - not a likely event in 2011, I'll guess.

But it made me think. I can't name one U.S. politician who has raised a peep about a ban in at least 20 years. George McGovern might have, but he's been retired forever & Teddy Kennedy, who back-burnered his support after seeing itw as a waste of energy, is dead. 

I've often put together two things or opinions. I love 98% of what America is about. I love its energy and childlike enthusiasm - it imagines itself as a Sitcom Dad to children played by other nations; Bill Cosby say and Canada is one of the middle daughters. And that is somewhat endearing. The U.S. always means well.

But it does ignore Churchill's often-forgotten opinion that 'Jaw jaw is always better than war war.' Always better, he said. 

As a nation, it was founded on the device of superior firepower to Natives, Mexicans and the occasional French. It wasn't firepower that won Independence - it was superiority of numbers and the home field advantage of short supple lines. But, guns worked to grab close to half a continent, so that seemed to be the way to go.

Hence, there were the six-shooters and ammo belts fixed as part of the American mindset. That's the 2% of the U.S. geist I don't love.

Now, I mentioned that were two equations When I lived in two notoriously crime-ridden neighbourhoods in Toronto - and it is amazing how one can learn to get a good night's sleep by imagining gunfire and screams as simple white noise - I came out with the rough number that 1 out of every 1,000 people you see on the street, living in a city are whacked in the head. And I'm probably guessing low.

Not that it's their fault. In North America, if you break your arm you can get it fixed without much fuss. If you break your sanity, well good luck Charlie you're on your own. 

So if we combine that 1 in 1,000 with easy access to weaponry that could probably still overwhelm the armies of several island nations, you're just storing greasy rags and gasoline cans next to the furnace. I've always felt that God gives us a perfect right to do stupid things. If you have free will, you're going to use it, but hopefully learn from the initial error(s). But allowing crazy people access to weaponry - well, that is tempting the diseased and that in my mind is a mortal sin. 

And that may well be the only way that a gun ban will ever be sold in the U.S. That side of the debate will have to be framed in gilt engraved crosses around an illuminated manuscript on aged parchment reading: "Jesus says guns are a sin." 

That might do it. Still not hopeful. The poor U.S.