OUTLAW GUNS--ALL OF THEM

Over the past year I have become angrier and angrier about the Wild West culture that seems to be perpetuated in the United States in the name of Constitutionality. The nation is awash in guns. They are everywhere and, even if you do not see them, are definitely there: in your neighbors' closet; under the carseat; in the purse of a passing pedestrian; in the pocket of the guy in front of you in the grocery store check out line. Just because you do not see them is not a reason to live in the delusion that they are not there and that they may not be turned against you, if the circumstances conspire in that direction.

So four innocent police officers in Washington State, persons who are probably doing their best to do their job of protecting the public, are mowed down by someone with a criminal record who secures arms. There have been others: The MD who had an abortion clinic; the gay person who was at church; the cashier in an all night store who was shot here in Indianapolis just last week. And so many others. Every day's newspaper brings more tragic news . . . . . .

Look, I live exactly one block away from the worst mass murder site in the history of the city of Indianapolis. Several years ago, an entire family of Mexican immigrants to the USA--all seven of them--were murdered by two guys (actually their neighbors) who thought that they were hoarding money. The victims included childred asleep in their beds. These guys who murdered the hapless neighbor family had also been in prison. They managed to get guns. I am sure that anyone can do it.

We need some politicians who have the guts and ability to name this issue very publically and to take on organizations such as National Rifle Association. Sure, people hunt deer. But the same laws that protect those people also make it possible for guns to get into the wrong hands.

We need to understand what the constitutional issues are around arms and have a very, very public discussion on them. If there are constitutional protections, maybe they need to be amended. We need to start somewhere.

It is true that guns are everywhere, even in countries where people are prohibited from possessing them. But the difference in gun-driven crime rates is vastly different between such countries, as the United Kingdom, and the USA.

I do not want to live in a society that is violent or that has easy access to tools of violence. Hey, America, when are we going to go after the guns?