Guns Don't Kill People, People Kill People
First off, let me give you two definitions of the word inanimate:
1} Not living: not alive.
2} Relating to nouns for non-living things: belong to a category of nouns that refer to things and concepts considered to be without life.
Therefore, a handgun is just that: an inanimate object.
It's made of steel (or some other alloy), contains dozens of working parts, and looks impressive while lying on a table doing nothing.
The limitus test.
Take a handgun, unload it, make sure there's not a round in the chamber and place it on a table. Now yell at the handgun, "Fire!"
Does anything happen after you yell, "Fire!"? Of course not.
A handgun will not work without an external force present. The external force would have to pick up the hand gun, load it, make sure a bullet is in the chamber, take the safety switch off, and squeeze the trigger.
Without that external force present, a handgun remains an object that is as deadly as a leaf falling on your head.
So to say that handguns (or any other kind of gun) kill people simply isn't correct. A handgun is simply an implement of potential destruction, just like any other implement that people may use to harm others. Without an external force present to put things in motion, the inanimate object of potential destruction remains just that.
I have no other comment to add, just because I'm so incredibly upset about the stuff I've read and heard about over the weekend that I'm fighting a raging war within myself over whether or not I should simply tear all the assholes out there a brand new one, either on the blog and/or on Facebook.
I saw a movie once in the seventies, a made for TV thing, about a gun that was used in a number of killings, and the show really made the gun out to be some kind of evil entity. It was so ridiculous that it was laughable.
ReplyDeleteFor people to blame the gun is just as stupid as people blaming God.
ReplyDeleteI hear you on that last paragraph...I've stayed out of it because I don't want to get more upset than I already am. But you and I are on the same page.
ReplyDeleteCharles: Henry Winkler produced an excellent mini-series in the 90's that followed the path of a cursed handgun.
ReplyDeleteThe name of it escapes me at the moment, but it made the people who possessed it lament and look at themselves in a different light at the end.
Gluttondan: Or blaming the lack of morality and the lack of God/religion in schools.
M: It's been very tough not to go nuclear on some of the people offering up insipid/vapid comments on this shit.
But by the same token, I've read some very thoughtful blog posts and comments on it as well.
saw a piece pointing out how many people McVeigh killed. With fertilizer. (Oklahoma City bombing)
ReplyDeleteSomeone else pointed out the same day the eastern nonsense happened, someone in China knifed to death 27 kids.
At the end of the day, it does not matter what tool is used, evil people are going to do evil things.
We have to figure out how to change peoples hearts and then we can worry about whether or not we need guns, fertilizer, knives, cars, clubs, etc.
Blame the automobile that plowed into a large crowd killing many.
ReplyDeleteBlame the bomb vest that exploded on a bus or in a mall that killed many.
Blame the airplanes that crashed into the World Trade Center.
And always blame the guns...
All are diversions from having to think some humans can be so inhuman.
Mass murder will take place in some form or fashion if there is a desire and we're crazy not to look at more than inanimate objects for answers.
Meanwhile these discussions detract from the gut wrenching sadness we feel for the loss in NewTown, CT. and the swell of human kindness that has arrived on the scene to help and comfort.
Darth: This is true.
ReplyDeleteBut by saying that the lack of morality being taught in schools (or at home for that matter) is somehow to blame for tragedies such as this is blatantly untrue.
There will always be evil in the world, and we will always have the mentally ill around us.
However, it's we as a society that should make the changes so that the mentally ill can and do get the help the need, whether they want it or not.
Sometimes the rights of a few don't trump the rights of the many.
G.A.: Absolutely.
I only wrote this post to point out the shallowness of the gun control argument that people are throwing out there.
You can't blame an inanimate object for being used in a horrific event such as this. You have to look deep within your conscience, your very being and yes, your beliefs to search for and come up with a viable answer.
And you know that whatever answer you're gonna come up with, it will offend a major segment of the population.
I have to weigh in here, working for a mental health organization. People living with mental illness - especially severe mental illness - are much more likely to be victims of violent crime than perpetrators.
ReplyDeleteIMHO, the shooter's mom should have taken some accountability here. She knew her son had problems and kept all of these guns around, waiting for him to take? WTF?
Access to treatment, even if you have tons of money, is hard to find. It is very, very difficult to hospitalize someone against their will if they are 18 or older - the states say this is because of civil rights, but frankly, it's because there aren't enough beds. I have taken so many calls at work where someone has a homicidal or suicidal relative who suddenly behaves at the ER, so they're sent home - and this has happened in my own family.
The entire system is broken. And frankly, maybe you can't blame the guns, but I don't see why anyone needs access to a military grade weapon outside of the military. You can't do as much damage with a handgun, a knife, etc.
M: Appreciate the thoughtful comment. I know you and I have discussed this behind the scenes on numerous occasions and thus concur with what you have posted here.
ReplyDeleteWell, I think it's possible that in some way "the society" that produced the mindset which was formed in the evil person, who conducted the act, is responsible. Therefore we now must look out for more killers like that... sadly it's doubtful only one was formed.
ReplyDeleteIt's probably a combination of factors influencing these minds.
Glad I haven't read the stuff you have! I can't even watch the news without crying about it again!
Anyhow- I do think assault weapons should be banned! Then they'll just load up the tnt tho...
Snaggle: There is a lot vitriol and holier-than-thous out there spewing utter nonsense about this and for the most part, I have chosen to ignore it.
ReplyDeleteBanning assault rifles isn't the answer, and for the life of me, I can't figure out why the hue and cry immediately goes up when a shooting occurs with an assualt rifle. Banned or not, people are going to be able to get one.