A gun is cheap. A simple, stamped-out, piece of cold metal. It feels good in your hand, makes you feel powerful, and dangerous. Point it at someone, and suddenly you own their life. They’ll do what you say. Isn’t that good?
No. No, it’s not good at all. I have nothing against soldiers who know how to use these weapons handling guns, (rifles if we’re being pedantic – guns are artillery or mounted on ships) because, by and large, they are only a danger to people that they need to be a danger to.
But when civilians start owning guns for whatever reason, then comes the serious problem. Suddenly every person in the street wears a black cape and has a scythe resting on their shoulder. They want your life? They can take it. They don’t want your life? Well, they might take it by accident.
Is that a good thing? In the film “Bowling for Columbine” Michael Moore speaks to a chap who sleeps with a gun under his pillow – for ‘protection’. He looks nuts – wide eyed, with crazy hair he points out ironically “There’s some crazy people out there.”
Perhaps you think it won’t happen to you. Freedom dictates that people should have a gun if they want one. To defend their family from the cray people – how is that wrong?
But when you’re looking down into the darkness within that cold metal, accused of being one of the crazies, with Death’s skeletal hand on your shoulder, ask yourself: How did this come to happen?