Taking aim at peace and joy a departure:

TAKING AIM AT PEACE AND JOY 

(A one-time departure)

This blog is not now, nor has it ever been, nor will it ever be my outlet to voice political or “religious/spiritual” opinions.  Do I have some? Yep, still I believe strongly in personal choice and. Responsibility and also that if we all do a little more to help ourselves a and our neighbor the world would be better off.  BUT TODAY I FIND IT  NECESSARY TO. VOICE MY THOUGHTS ON MENTAL  HEALTH, GUNS, AND VIDEO GAMES

Let’s start with  some popular ideas about. Mass shootings.  They are committed by  mentally ill people somehow influenced by video games.  Does anyone want to  take a hard look at how many people need better  mental health care and wellness resources?  Children wait months to see  a qualified psychiatrist in most of America (especially in rural areas), and yet we don’t hear anyone crying out to change this.  even given this challenge, how many. People  diagnosed with. Mental. Health variations from the norm shoot people on a regular basis?  You are  far more likely to be a victim of a crime if you have a mental illness than  you are to commit one.  So maybe using that logic if you DO NOT  HAVE A MENTAL ILLNESS YOU SHOULD HAVE TO REGISTER WITH THE LOCAL AUTHORITIES?   You are  far more likely to  get hugged by a  person with a mental health  concern than shot...so beware of a mass hugging somewhere near you today.  

Also one’s  mental normalcy is a singular characteristic of some shooters—I can accept that and so is the fact that  most  of these incidents  have come at the hands of men.  So maybe we all (those of us claiming male gender) should have those body parts catalogued and put in a registry somewhere.  Maybe every man in America should  have to  have a radio transponder  sewn  into  or onto  his genetalia?  After  all that’s a single  human characteristic shared  by about all the gun slingers.  

Now. Let’s look at video games.  Everyone I know  have at one time played  some sort of  video game so again I can’t buy the link there.  Oh you say it’s only the violent ones?  Well how about a game where a character tracks down a large number of foes and not only vanquishes them but eats them right there on the screen and that’s how you advance?  Anybody think we should ban Ms. PAC Man?  I am not a big fan of video games for  a number of reasons, but I will play them and yell Kill while playing Wii fencing —you can ask my kids.  How many people have I targeted with a gun—hundreds...but the guns all were fully loaded with  water.  I would bet money that. Many people who play video games (including Candy Crush) give money to churches, participate in blood drives, bake sales, and other worth community enhancing activities.  So who wants to decide whether. Video games cause shootings or church giving?  

I could  go on and on but  I will not.  It’s time to talk about  guns.  I’m okay with anyone  owning any gun they would  like as long as they are willing to sign a statement  that they will be held responsible for  all the things that result  from  the use of that gun without exception.  Also if you own a gun for protection the capacity must be limited to six rounds.  If you  need more than six shots then  you either have some really rotten enemies or you are  not well trained in how to use your gun.  Assault weapons should only be issued to folks who want to  hunt for their own food and therefore should be banned from buying food at stores and restaurants.  If folks absolutely  feel the need to  use weapons of war, join the military services—otherwise use a rifle to kill Bambi.  If you  think you are defending yourself  from the government  gone mad  with an assault weapon guess again Einstein—Our government can kill you with a drone strike from thousands. Of miles away.  So unless you want to run out into your  front and back yard every three minutes and spray hundreds of bullets into the. Air in every direction, don’t pull that argument out of your hat.  We can. Do more to insure our freedom by educating our citizens about governance, teaching our children respect for others, and admitting that most people are far more alike than we are different than we  can guarantee freedom by shooting  45 rounds a minute at anyone or anything.  

Okay I have gone on long enough and its time to sum up.  

Basically  I’m saying all dogs are not horses.  What the Hell?—you say?  Well all dogs (most of them anyway ) have four legs and a tail and most horses have  four legs and a tail..but  all dogs are not horses.  Bottom line mental health issues and video games are not  things to isolate for and neither is a testical  tracker.  We can experiment with  gun safety and  limited use laws and see how those work without  violating any constitutional freedoms, as long as we agree. That education must be  done and our justice system dedicates  itself to becoming  less biased.  

Finally, I challenge each of us to  try hard to stay aware, be astonished  by acts. Of violences toward a fellow human, and to believe you can seek justice without seeking revenge.  

Seek some Peace and Joy Come what May