Something's Gotta Give

The other day, my boyfriend and I got into a pretty tense debate regarding gun control. Who won? Well, neither of us. That's because we both think gun laws need to be reformed - something that won't happen in the foreseeable future.

He thinks guns serve only one purpose on this earth - to kill people (shotguns used for hunting are the only exception that he will allow). I think that guns are dangerous and mostly a bad idea - but also understand why many Americans feel the need to own a weapon. The example I gave was of my sister living on a farm and possibly needing to protect her family from an intruder - the closest neighbor is over a mile away (I doubt she owns a hand gun, but I digress).

I also understand the argument of wanting to have weapons to protect yourself from a rogue military. Sure, on the surface this just seems plain silly...but when you see a country like Syria battling it out to the bitter end with their rogue government and leaders, ...I suddenly had an image in my head of a mother sitting in a kitchen somewhere near Damascus holding an AK-47 ready to take on any of Assad's brutal soliders....anyway...

The argument ended with the agreement to disagree and move on...but then the next day a four year old in Virginia accidentally shot himself in the head with a handgun. He was pronounced dead at the hospital. I could find the link to the story, but I really don't want to look at it again (I trust you know how to use Google). Then, this morning I got on Facebook and discovered that my 13yo nephew has posted a picture of a glock as his FB profile picture. He has three little brothers and the idea that any of them could play with a gun and accidentally hurt themself or one of their brothers made me sick to my stomach.

When did our country become so obsessed with weapons? Was it western and gangster movies? I doubt it. It seems like only two types of civilians (i.e., not police officers) own a hand gun - conservative republicans from the midwest and then gang members living in inner cities. The irony is that these are two polar opposite types of people...and yet they have a passion for a weapon that is used for one thing - murdering other people.

Own your guns, I don't really care. But as long as 4 year old boys accidentally shoot themselves with a gun that they think is a toy - I won't have a conversation with you. It's your "right" to own a gun, but it was that little boys right to go to kindegarten, learn how to tie his shoes, kiss a girl (or boy) and maybe go to college. His rights...and the rights of approximately 3,000 other children, was taken away by someone else's stupidity.

Here are two incredible articles regarding gun control.

Gun Control: Too Late (Economist)

How I Ended my Lifelong Love of Guns (The Atlantic)