Tragedy in Las Vegas
The tragedy in Las Vegas has raised the gun control debate, again. The conspiracy theories about what happened that night are clogging social media and the Internet in general. When Sunday morning dawned the national debate centered on over-priced men in silly pants, chasing a ball that doesn’t bounce well. The day got worse from there.
As for the men in silly pants, I am fascinated with the idea that it took a televised act of disrespect to our country’s sense of patriotism to get people’s attention regarding the poor character and behavior of football players. They stage deadly animal fights, father hordes of children with women they are not married to, drive overpriced vehicles while alcohol and drug impaired, and use their fists on women and children.
Professional athletes get paid more money in one day than our brave men and women in uniform earn in an entire year. The inequitable dispersal of financial remuneration between professional athletes or entertainers when compared to members of law enforcement and our military is so wrong.
Whichever publicist advised Colin Kaepernick he could attract attention to his failing career by taking a knee during the national anthem probably gets paid more than the highest paid first responders? If he wanted to attract attention to his client he got his wish.
The publicity stunt has sparked a national backlash that has people calling for a boycott of professional sports, especially the NFL.
The armageddon crowd is pointing to the events in Las Vegas as yet another indication of the approach of the end of days. The real news and fake news stories will feed on people’s fear of public events for years to come. The concept of personal safety in public has become an illusion.
The maniac that turned the Las Vegas strip into the OK Corral committed a final act of cowardice when he committed suicide before he could be captured. His death has saved the victims and their families from the satisfaction of a criminal trial and could possibly bankrupt the insurance industry when the civil suits start rolling in.
We mourn the deaths and the injuries inflicted on blameless music fans and others out enjoying a Sunday evening. It is another instance of the loss of both innocence and freedom from fear. Other stories keep emerging of ordinary people who reached out to help total strangers get medical attention and out of harm’s way.
The anti-firearms lobby will use the event to further restrict access to high power weaponry to the general public. Responsible gun owners will pay the price for the acts of the dead Vegas shooter.
Does what happened on Sunday in Las Vegas make the average citizen more or less likely to purchase a firearm? Bullet sales should take a huge leap as people will want to insure they have ammunition for the guns they already own. A surge in applications to carry concealed weapons is to be expected.
I have fired guns at the shooting range in Fresno near Costco on Shaw Avenue. To my surprise I didn’t enjoy it.
Small-caliber handguns are like digital cameras — if you keep pulling the trigger you should hit your target. Keep in mind that, while small-caliber weapons are capable of killing your target, it might just anger them. Be prepared to live a very complicated life should you use a firearm to defend yourself and your family. Surviving such a conflict is obviously one’s best case scenario. But the idea of a pistol within easy reach doesn’t appeal to me no matter how many cute purses with special firearm pockets I see.
Keep your head down and have a great weekend.
