Well.... I was going to write a post about travel and festivals today and absolute essentials that you have to take, partly for shits and giggles but partly because it's informative and will definitely change for me over time...
Instead, today, I went to the movies. I went and saw the movie now made so controversial by yet another senseless shooting in America and whilst this crossed my mind several times whilst watching, I felt just very lucky to live in a country where we have little worry of ever being a part of an event such as that.
And the movie was good.... great even. I think the word 'awesome' came out of my mouth as soon as it ended. I feel bad for the film makers, cast and crew that their hard work now seems tainted.
Then I come home after a brief coffee and one of my oldest radio pals come over and I tell him "you know there is a sign outside that cinema that tells people guns' aren't allowed" - over which we both baffle for a while, make some comments on such a thing and talk about the horrible event that occurred in Colorado.
When he leaves I turn back on my computer and look at email. There's a reply to my earlier comment on a video I watched earlier in the day, where one of my favourite youtube channels posted a video of a BBC interviewer talking to an apparently educated reputable person arguing against gun control yet again.
My original comment went something like this: Every time there is a big over the top and thoughtless shooting in the US there is this debate, and every time you all fail to see the importance of gun control... so... carry on then. Of course there are other things that would also need addressing in this arena such as mental health, but your issue is much larger than this. Give them up America, put down your weapons. (The fact that you even had to have a sign at a CINEMA stating the obvious is reason enough) - so now i've deleted this comment anyways because the responses were beyond belief to me.
And the response from one guy...You are missing the point. There is a lot more to this than the media (mainstream) is willing to let us in on. This week the United Nations small arms gun treaty ban is being voted on. Obama will sign it into law guaranteed. This incident smells of a false flag set up. How coincidental is this incident & the gun ban? Please remember, there are NO coincidences in government. If people were allowed to conceal carry in that theater that shooter wouldn't be alive today. Please educate yourself.
Well you know the guy has a point, I didn't know that and he just educated me. I don't agree it had bloody anything to do with the incident but either way. I told him we could agree to disagree as follows.... (oh look actually that comment has been deleted - something about the BBC being more reputable than US television stations and that of course the media is biased). Oh wait, here it is.... We can agree to disagree on this Steve. I understand and follow a lot of what your (and other) Government(s) have to say. Mainstream media definitely has a part to play in incorrect biased newscasting and assisting Government in pushing through their own agendas. My point is, why do you feel it necessary to have a gun in the first place? "right to bear arms"..? The BBC seem a lot more credible than most US news channels so it's interesting that some here are bagging them and calling them names.
Now.... to the comment that blew my mind...
the fact that there was a sign at the entrance informing the criminal that it was a gun free zone is the problem and made them an easy target. If the shooter thought the theater was packed with well armed citizens do you really think necrotic gave gone in there? Did you it hear the stats re: shootings in "gun free" zones? Do facts mean anything?
My response: Again... if you had no guns, there would be no needs for those "zones" in the first place. The rest of the western world that have gun control look at these incidents and think why do you let it continue?! I went to this film today and I had no fear walking down my street, walking into a cinema and watching a film with strangers. Fear. The most important word in this debate. Why is it normal to be afraid of your own countrymen?!
Okay so back to the persons original comment two paragraphs above.... and let me get this straight. The PROBLEM is that there was a sign saying NO GUNS allowed in this venue, making INNOCENT MOVIEGOERS an EASY TARGET. The PROBLEM is that other people TOOK THE ADVICE OF THE SIGN and therefore could not stop the heavily armed man in his act.
Hmmmm.... so the problem couldn't possibly be that you can walk into a Kmart and buy a gun and bullets. The problem couldn't possibly be that there is a problem with the mental health system. The problem couldn't possibly be that their media is screwed up. The problem couldn't possibly be that their whole society seems to be based on fear and they think a few words in their constitution have more weight than peoples lives being taken for no reason.
I feel freaking sorry for those families who now have to bury loved ones because of this or any of the many countless, continual, thoughtless shootings that have happened in the US in recent years. I'm sure they are thinking now "oh yeah, it's okay, he had the right to bear arms". (add sarcasm; stir)
I can guarantee you that their only question is WHY? Perhaps; why did he have access to these weapons? What in his mind made him feel the need to do that to a random bunch of strangers? And sure there may be anger, calls for retribution and the like, but why the HELL would anyone think that MORE freedom in the carrying of guns solves this problem?!
It took one, horrific day on our soil in a similar incident in a public place to start the ball rolling on calling in the return of general civilian handguns / firearms in our country. ONE.
As much as I do love Americans and have American friends and will visit this part of the world in the future, this part of their culture absolutely baffles me.
End Rant.
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