The Insanity of it All

"The massacre of 20 children by a madman with an assault rifle was of no moment as the Senate voted down the most reasonable of gun controls in a cowardly, unconscionable choice of ideology over life. People will die because too many senators of both parties voted not just against banning the most lethal firearms and ammunition magazines, but also against imposing near-universal background checks on gun buyers."
- New York Daily News


If you find this image disturbing, I am sorry but it was meant to grab your attention for I find the gun laws in the US incomprehensible. Ever since Wednesday, I have been stewing about the fact that many of our "leaders" in the US Senate "shot down" an amendment to require background checks for commercial gun sales (but not for sales between "friends and neighbors"). They did this despite the fact that poll after poll shows that 90 percent of Americans support increased background checks. I find this disconnect disgusting just as I find the NRA's defense of semi-automatic assault rifles, hand guns and large capacity ammunition magazine clips; things that were invented with one principle in mind: the taking human life. The Senate also "killed" amendments on those matters as well.

I have been a shotgun owner since I was 18 and mine are used for hunting pheasants and grouse. I take very few birds for a meal each year and I love the sport of watching the dogs work the fields. I do not own a handgun or an assault weapon and I never will, as I am not interested in shooting a human. I have always subjected myself to a background check. And I would gladly give up my guns if it meant that this country would be rid of its gun obsession.

So, as a gun owner, I am especially outraged by the lack of sensible gun laws in this country and I am sick of the politics of the NRA. I am tired of hearing a very small percentage of Americans claim that increased background checks and reduced capacity guns will not have a material outcome on the gun related deaths and massacres in US. This country loves guns to a fault and it is time that we wake up to our idiotic ways.

The estimated total number of guns held by civilians in the United States is 270,000,000 (or 9 guns for every 10 people). There were approximately 34,000 gun related deaths in the US last year. That means that about 85 Americans are shot dead daily -- 53 of them suicides. Every day, one of those killed by firearms is 14 or younger. Of the total, 16 are between the ages of 15 and 24, mostly homicide victims. More than 200 people go to U.S. emergency rooms every day with gunshot wounds.

I could go on and on but I am getting nauseous just citing these horrific numbers. But there is a point to this rant: If you live in the United States and you agree with my thoughts, please email a "shame on you" letter to those that voted against the bill. Ask them about the children of Newtown and the children who die in the streets every single day. Ask them why any citizen should ever own an assault rifle. Ask them if they think the current gun laws are working. Ask them the hard questions and then promise not to laugh (or cry) when you hear their answers. Tell them that you are sick of the bloodshed and the insanity of it all. Tell them that they have lost their focus on humanity.

My letters will be sent in the morning.

PS...Isabella was only holding the barrels and the part with the stock and trigger was in the house.

Also, thank you greatly for your appreciation of my image of my BoyBravo flying yesterday.


Meet the 45 Senators that blocked the background bill:

Max Baucus (D-MT)
Mark Begich (D-AK)
Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND)
Mark Pryor (D-AR)
Lamar Alexander (R-TN)
Kelly Ayotte (R-NH)
John Barrasso (R-WY)
Roy Blunt (R-MO)
John Boozman (R-AR)
Richard Burr (R-NC)
Saxby Chambliss (R-GA)
Dan Coats (R-IN)
Tom Coburn (R-OK)
Thad Cochran (R-MS)
Bob Corker (R-TN)
John Cornyn (R-TX)
Mike Crapo (R-ID)
Ted Cruz (R-TX)
Michael Enzi (R-WY)
Deb Fischer (R-NE)
Jeff Flake (R-AZ)
Lindsey Graham (R-SC)
Chuck Grassley (R-IA)
Orrin Hatch (R-UT)
Dean Heller (R-NV)
John Hoeven (R-ND)
Jim Inhofe (R-OK)
Johnny Isakson (R-GA)
Mike Johanns (R-NE)
Ron Johnson (R-WI)
Mike Lee (R-UT)
Mitch McConnell (R-KY)
Jerry Moran (R-KS)
Lisa Murkowski (R-AK)
Rand Paul (R-KY)
Rob Portman (R-OH)
James Risch (R-ID)
Pat Roberts (R-KS)
Marco Rubio (R-FL)
Timothy Scott (R-SC)
Jeff Sessions (R-AL)
Richard Shelby (R-AL)
John Thune (R-SD)
David Vitter (R-LA)
Roger Wicker (R-MS)