Random Thoughts on a Tragic Day

I have many friends and work acquaintances in Texas and inevitably after a few rounds of whatever we are drinking the talk come back to my openly far left stance of gun control. The discussions almost always start off by someone stating that if we all had guns and knew how to use them there would be a level playing field.

Let's look at the details that we know from last night in Aurora. The gunman entered and had on a bulletproof vest and gas mask and was fairly heavily armed. Using the logic stated in the first paragraph, we would all need that type of protection and armament, as well as shooting lessons in order to protect ourselves on a level playing field. The killer could have been taken out by a head shot, which we all could have done in a crowded theater where everyone was panicking. And we can all get gas masks for when we go out in public, along with bulletproof vests.

Somehow this is not the world I wanted to leave for my children and grandchildren--a dystopian world racked with violence, weird weather patterns, scarcity of water, food and clean air. A world where the government of one of the leading nations in the free world can be bought by unlimited funding of advertizing, where greed and power games are not only accepted, but are the fuel for dreams (thanks, Ayn Rand for your socially responsible vision that has inspired many).

There is deep sickness in the soul of America right now and it is growing like a cancer and I am distraught. I know all the spiritual principles--let love radiate, blah, blah, blah. I can even enjoy a good meditation and chant session. I can bless things. But my heart is heavy with the violence and disregard for others that seems to be in the hearts of the American public. I wish I knew a fast solution because every now and then I feel like a little bit of my heart is stolen, crushed and eaten.

 rojo

Another Day, Another Gun

There was a story in the LA Times yesterday showing that one section of American manufacturing is going gangbusters. Hooray for recovery. The firearms and munitions firms just cannot produce enough to keep up with the accelerated demand since Obama was elected. The NRA (I know they are just hunters, and no Catholic boys ever masturbated, too) has many actions committees and sponsored websites that basically state that since Obama has come to power, all YOUR GUNS WILL BE TAKEN BY THE SOCIALIST STATE!

This is just one the things most progressives don't get, in my opinion. There is a real ground swell of paranoia out there that we are going crazy socialist. Some of the crazies who believe all this are those who "Don't want the government to fool with their Medicare!" They logically don't know that Medicare is a government program. And these folks are buying so much guns and ammunition that manufacturers just can't meet the demand.

We have crazies shooting police in Pittsburgh becasue the cops may come and get his guns. You know, if you did not fetishize your guns, they wouldn't give a damn about you. There have been at least four instances of authority killings this year alone that were fueled by crazy paranoid fantasies. If this were to keep up, then their prophecies would be self-fulfilling.

The fact remains they got the guns.You notice the raging far right was not this active with Bush/Cheney in office because he was their guy. Strutting in flight suit, saying "Bring it on!" and then torturing people. It is frustrating to realize that this faction is about 25% of the American population, so all the conservatives need is to influence another 20% to win elections. The rabid right will come out to vote.The passion they bring is seldom matched by the liberal end of the equation.

I saw Kerry and Hatch on some newstalk thing yesterday. Kerry made logical nice comments about how torture was wrong. When Hatch went on about its virtues, did Kerry ream him a new one? Nope. Just said it was illegal. AAArrrggghhh! I fear we are getting past reason in this country and the debate will be won on emotionalism that is so illogical (see the Medicare comment above) your jaw will drop repeatedly. And Health Care could be the Waterloo. I hope someone is playing multi-dimensional chess, but if the Admnistration pooches this one, the majority in the Congress may be lost.

BTW, Bobby "Exorcist" Jindal said that the Obama adminstration is doing more for New Orleans in the short time they are in charge than the Bush boys ever did. Did that make the front page anywhere? Competency does not fuel that raw emotionalism. I found it on the bottom of page 8 in the SacBee.

rojo