So I sit here this afternoon at 12:30 nodding off on my couch, only to be awakened by the sound of four-five shots from a 9mm semi-automatic: A large 5 year old apartment complex is approximately 3/4 mile away as the bird flies, maybe less.
It dawns upon me, that the sane remaining, and that may indeed be debatable in itself, in the world must be totally perplexed with the “gun” phenomena in the U.S.: I certainly cannot wrap my head around what drives this insanity. The more pure crazy I learn, or come across, the more I cry, to the point that I can only laugh at myself in frustration.
For instance a very intelligent acquaintance (yes he hunts only on occasion now), “I have two AR-15’s” … Why I ask? … “I (special) ordered one for my grandson” … And? … “While waiting on delivery, I won the second in a CHURCH raffle”.
Such a deep belly laugh ensued that I had difficulty breathing and was gonna fall out of my chair. He too was laughing at himself, but with a somber and serious tone.
A father grounds his daughter, upon checking the unused vehicle to also re-claim his revolver from the glove box, finds it is not there. Not under seat either… He is alarmed! She had presence of mind to better ensure her custody by bringing it inside the house. Why did he look in the car first? Twenty-year-old girl packing heat?
Need I go on? Unfortunately, I can. Gun here, gun there, gun everywhere. This is way, way beyond the Second Amendment as Judge Scalia warned. It is time. Way, way past time. Let us give up these handguns: “They ain’t nuttin’ but trouble!” If we need this many handguns, we have greater problems than we can ever imagine. Here is mine. Where are yours? We can destroy them together. Good riddance.
Let us find a way to end this “handgun” arms race. It spiraled out of control decades ago, and it will continue unabated. Cooler heads must soon prevail. Handgun detente/buyback anyone? Anyone out there?
Then again there may well be no sanity left in the good ole U.S. of A.
Walter P. Okhuysen, Starkville
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