It’s a funny old world. Maybe it’s my imagination but I think things were a lot more normal in days gone by. Everything had its place and there was a natural order. The seasons behaved themselves and did what they were supposed to do. The sun would shine in the summer and it would rain in winter.
There was law and order, fist fights were fair, there were no knives used and kicking in the head was not allowed. Politicians ran the country and we trusted them because we were innocent and they were our leaders and they knew best. Taxes were raised every now and then and while we didn’t like it, we accepted it because this was the natural order of things.
But now that has changed. For a start, we have a new type of government and it may not be the most stable. We’re in uncertain times so I have to keep checking the news to find out who is in charge of me and if Ireland is still part of the EU. Before I go out to the shop to get the paper I have to check that the money in my pocket is the right currency. It’s all very confusing but we’re not alone.
Britain has voted to pull out of the EU. As if that wasn’t enough to be dealing with Westminster has been rocked with more uncertainty. David Cameron was going along nicely until Boris Johnson stuck a large dagger in his back because he wanted to replace him.
Boris was a banker for that job until Michael Gove got his hands on the knife and whacked Boris with it. Then Mike ran away leaving the door open for Mrs. May. But Mrs. Leadsom was also looking for the top job and she claimed to be better qualified because she has children while Theresa doesn’t. That proved to be her undoing and Theresa got the job.
There is little solace to be found on the Labour side either because poor Jeremy Corbyn can’t seem to hold onto his shadow cabinet. There is a whole host of assassins hiding in the long Westminster grass queueing up to borrow the knife for him. The voice of unreason, Nigel Farage, has also stepped down as the leader of UKIP, so nothing over there is as it should be.
Our cousins in the United States, who have always been there for us in the past, like a kind of comfort blanket, are beginning to show signs of becoming more like the crazy aunt that nobody likes to talk about. Law and order is breaking down and the home of the free world could potentially be led by Donald Trump. If that’s not enough to put you into a cold sweat then you need to check that you still have a pulse.
There was a time in the history of that great country when the rule of law was determined by the gun. In the days of the Wild West, when the US was in its infancy, Wyatt Earp kept law and order with his six- gun. The cowboys were the good guys and the Indians were the bad guys and no child wanted to be the Indian in the game because it invariably meant a short life expectancy.
But while that was a long time ago, Americans still haven’t moved on much from their obsession with guns. It is a major issue over there and there is a huge divide between those who are demanding more gun control measures and those who refuse to accept any interference in their right to bear arms. That right is entrenched in their Constitution and they guard it with the same ferocity as they defend their right to free speech.
The role that guns play in that society has long been debated. While there are those who believe that guns have no role in the hands of private citizens, others point to The Second Amendment which was added to the Constitution because the founders believed that private ownership of guns was necessary for the protection of liberty. Maybe that was the case back in those days but it doesn’t necessarily mean that those sentiments are appropriate today.
Those arguing for the right to carry a firearm will say that restrictions to gun ownership will put citizens at the mercy of gun-toting criminals while guns protect the rights and freedoms of the individual. They are quick to point out that guns don’t kill people, people do.
On the other hand, the argument for gun control is compelling and makes a lot more sense. There are too many shootings and killings. There are accidents involving children playing with guns and accidental discharges due to careless or inexperienced adults and too many criminals buying guns legally and using them to commit crimes. Background checks and mandatory waiting periods could help to deter criminals while negligibly inhibiting the citizens.
Whatever about the rights and wrongs of this argument it must be accepted that buying a gun in the United States is almost as easy as going to the local supermarket to get a pint of milk. That can’t be a good thing. Neither is it good that semi-automatic weapons are so freely available to ordinary members of the public. These guns are intended for military use and have no business in the hands of civilians for either self-protection or sport.
The pro-gun lobby argue that when the State starts deciding what is and isn’t good for you then it’s time to start worrying. Well, the fact is that the current state of shootings and killings in that part of the world is also worrying and, whether they like it or not, guns are the cause.
A sensible report, it’s a pity a lot of the rednecks in the mighty U. S of A cannot see the the reasoning behind the damn thing.
They’ll never get it Matt.