“I just want Christmas!” That is what their teacher reported that they begged,as they sat barricaded in the bathroom. Small and frightened, they wished for what was a beacon in their small lives: Mommy, Santa, family, safety and happiness.
Those who maintain the right for as many of us as possible to have and bear firearms argue that it isn’t guns that kill people, it’s people that kill people. Such an ignorant and irrational position. And the argument rages on, despite the little bodies arrayed in blood in those formerly cheerful classrooms. Blood among the alphabet posters, multiplication tables, spelling words, and pictures of kittens.
When guns invade the sanctum of innocents, there is no argument. Freedom to “proudly” own guns becomes mere dust in the mouths of those who still shout it out, in some Neanderthal logic that only serves as proof of their loss of real humanity.
Children died today, begging for Christmas. And I despair for those who state that they are “proud” to own, conceal, and carry murder weapons. May God forgive them their stupidity.
Molly is a two time Erma Bombeck Writing Award winner, in both the humor and human interest categories. She won honorable mentions in 2010 and 2012.
Some people do not own guns “proudly”…some, like myself, have been a victim of a crime and vowed they would never allow someone to terrorize their family again. The man, a convicted murderer and rapist, who broke into my home, first entered my children’s rooms. My daughter, who always woke up at 5.a.m. and slipped into my bed stayed asleep by the grace of G-d. (It was 5 a.m.) He then entered my son’s room who thankfully could sleep through everything. The he walked into my room and crouched at my bed with a knife in his hand. I woke up and stared into his eyes. I screamed and my (very strong) husband jumped up to protect me and the man turned and bolted down the stairs. He got away but was captured down the street. His accomplice was never caught.The detective told us later that with his criminal record, if our daughter had awakened, he most likely would have killed her to shut her up. I have lived with that thought in my head for over 30 years. He also suggested we buy a gun to protect ourselves. He said, if an intruder ever enters our home again, we have the right to shoot him. He told us we were very lucky .
This is a mental health issue as much as a gun control issue. As we learn more about this tragedy, it is becoming increasingly apparent that the shooter had mental health issues/conditions that perhaps weren’t being addressed. Sometimes families turn a blind eye to to their children’s problems. Certainly without access to guns, perhaps this tragedy wouldn’t have happened, but this person would have found another way to hurt some one, maybe several people.
“Does the term ‘lockdown’ mean something to you?” I asked my grandchildren last night as we gathered to light the Hanukkah candles. They looked at me as though I had asked them if they knew how to spell “cat”. How horrible was the Connecticut tragedy, and how horrible that school children all over America must practice lockdown drills to keep them ready for, among other things, demented monsters brandishing heavy artillery.
Dear Molly,
As your former neighbor I have followed your blog from day 1. I always enjoy reading the little stories your share. This particular one comes straight from the heart; we all want some sort of action. Preferably the kind that resets the clock and reunite those innocent children and adults with their family.
Coming from a country where owning weapons is illegal, I wholeheartedly agree with you; no one needs an assault weapon. I would be fine if only trained security personnel and policemen were allowed to carry fire arms. I think it would make this country safer.
However, since it is an constitutional right, recreational shooters and hunters will never agree to give up their arms. No one expects their own child to use a weapon against them, or kill an entire school class. So owning a pistol gives a false sense of safety.
In the case of Debi, who had the traumatic experience of an intruder entering her bedroom, I understand she thinks it’s safer to have a weapon. It does mean you have to sleep with a loaded gun under your pillow in order to be faster than the man attacking you. And even then, a weapon wouldn’t have helped if he was able to quietly enter the children’s bedrooms, while both parents were sound asleep.
I do understand the desire to protect. However, this doesn’t equate to the necessity to carry weapons in public, concealed, or not. So maybe, as a compromise, we should allow people to keep guns in their house, but not in public.
If it were up to me, no one would own a gun and the Constitution would be rewritten.