Observations

Gee, It Feels So Good

Posted by Ray McInerny on Jan. 14, 2013

Everyone in the United States it seems is hell bent on the restrictive sale of guns, types of guns, how much ammunition is required, how much we should be allowed to buy (ammuniton, that is), background checks, identity checks to make sure "this never happens again!"

This refers to the wholesale slaughter of innocent individuals by a mass murderer, a deranged and unstable murderer, a murdering terrorist, an irate spouse who with a gun bent on taking out their rage or to right a wrong against them.

Now, from the halls of Congress, on the first day of the new session, ten new gun bills were offered. Never mind that there are enough laws on the book now. And, if those laws were upheld by prosecutors, judges and law enforcement personnel we likely wouldn't need any more.

The fact that we wouldn't need any more doesn't assuage the "feel goodness" of doing something. If it makes us feel good we must act. Trying to stop politicians from presenting new bills is as impossible as it is to try and stop murder. Since the days of Cain and Abel we've been visited with bad behavior and murder. There were no guns when brother slew brother. Only the club of brotherly love.

FBI records show us that in the past few years more people in the United States have been killed with hammers, clubs, knives than with rifles. From 2005 to 2011 the numbers of murders with hammers and clubs exceeds the number of murders with guns.

In 2005 murders with hammers clubs numbered 605 while murders with firearms was 445; in 2006 murders with hammers and clubs stood at 618 as murders with guns was at 438. The latest year of the FBI report in 2011 indicated 496 murders the old fashioned way as murders with guns was at 323. And the report indicates that nearly twice as many people are killed by hands and fist each year than are killed by muderers with a firearm.

Still the "feel good" response is the norm, apparently. On New Years Day in Belleville, Illlinois five people with the city's police force were having lunch at a Denny's  when the manager approached a female officer and told her she had to take her gun outside. The officers at first thought he was kidding, but when they realized he wasn't, and they left the restaurant and their meals. Soon after the Police Chief decided to ban all members of the Police Department from eating at Denny's while on duly, until further notice.

This is in a state with very strict gun laws and one of the hightest murder rates, by criminals, in the nation. In fact, every state with the strictest guns laws see the highest percentage of assault by firearms. And this includes Connecticut.

In Des Moines, Iowa a former Pulitzer Prize nominee who was retired penned an article to the op-ed page of the Des Moines Register stating his anti-gun remedies some of which included repealing the Second Amendment; declaring the NRA a terrorist organization and making joining it illegal. He wants to tie up Mitch McConnel and John Boehner to the back of a Chevy pickup and drag them around a parking lot until they see gun control as he does. This is the type of action that makes this poor soul "feel goo!"

As the Mayor and the Police Chief of Milwaukee spent a few days at "feeling good" up in Minneapolis at an anti gun meeting a mother, wife and proprietor of a south side store was confronted by a burgler with a "knife" who grabbed at her and tried to empty her cash register. She reached under the counter pulled out a gun, pointed it at the bum and scared him away. Alderman Donavan rightly presented the woman with a commendation for her bravery. We can only speculate what her fate may have been had she been unable to defend herself.

Now that really makes you "Feel Good!"