Instantly Sick To My Stomach

I’m sure we humans all have something that befuddles us almost beyond words.  It will differ for each of us, of course.  At this point in time, for me, it is the gun debate that has begun as a result of the Connecticut mass shootings. What bothers me is that I thought the fact that little children were slaughtered would outrage everyone.  I foolishly, unconsciously maybe, expected every parent in this country would want to discuss changes to better protect children and THEIR right to go to school in complete safety. 

But we continue with the all or nothing thinking.  At least on one side; the gun advocates seem to be making the assumption that their guns will be taken away.  I wish they would wait and see what is proposed.  Maybe it is something, that for the sake of our children, with which they can agree.  I suspect not, however.  I am not hopeful. 

This morning while having coffee I wanted to research some statistics regarding guns in the U.S.  I know nothing, really.  I found an article that surprised me:  http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/lookout/gun-sales-spike-virginia-colorado-record-highest-background-174415554.html.  The fact that the same type of gun that Adam Lanza used to murder 6 and 7 year olds are the guns that are being purchased astounded me!  And the high capacity magazines and ammunition are in demand!   Are people assuming they will have to go to war against their fellow citizens and will need such weapons?  If they think they will be at war in their own communities wouldn’t they be satisfied to kill their neighbors with one shot?  Are they going to kill the neighbor’s children as well?  What does any of this mean?  I have absolutely no idea.  What I do know is that I became instantly sick to my stomach. 

A family friend from England was visiting this past summer.  She repeated several times that they do not understand our fascination with guns.  My response was that I did not understand it any more than she.  Upon remembering those conversations and reading about increased gun sales, I wanted to know more.  The figures are my best effort.  Let me give full and fair disclosure.  I do not consider myself a very good researcher.  Usually I ask Allan for help, or a good friend who was a librarian.  Not this time, but here is my best effort:

§  The U.S. has more retail gun stores than McDonald restaurants and grocery stores

• ü  14,098 McDonald restaurants
• ü  36,569 grocery stores
• ü  51,438 retail gun stores

§  272, 590 Americans were killed by firearms from 2000 through 2008.  I won’t present the statistics regarding children.  It is just too much to think about right now.

§  58,138 U.S. soldiers killed, wounded or missing  killed in the Vietnam War

§  6,622 U. S. military killed in both the Iraqi and Afghanistan wars

Please note that I mention only the American casualties here because of the current internal battle that is brewing.  The non-U.S. civilians, especially the children, innocently killed in these wars, are no less important than those of our own citizens.  A child killed anywhere in the world is grieved by parents, grandparents, siblings, extended family members, friends, just as here in America.  Each little one killed represents an obscenity to me. 

Statistics always raise more questions for me, which this time I am not going to think about or research.  I don’t see that as wise for my psychological diet, or even necessary.  To my way of thinking, were I to allow as much as a 10% margin of error, the numbers would still show an alarming story. 

I have learned that I know an awful lot of people who own guns; people I have known for years and I did not know that about them.  These are people I think the world of and respect.  That has not changed.  I do doubt they will be the ones racing to the gun stores, at least not to buy the same gun that was used in the Connecticut shootings and an abundance of ammunition.  At least I hope not.  What I do hope is that some of these gun owners will stand up and say, “Enough!  We can make some changes without infringing on our rights.”  I hope they lead the way.  We’ll see.

In the meantime, I have one other thing I wrote about this tragedy.  I don’t know what I will do about it for now.  I am not concerned about offending friends (although my friends are good about agreeing to disagree) because I have told no one I do this blog.  The real issue is that I have to make a real effort not to think about those little bodies.  I assume the parents did not get to view them.  With all my heart, I hope not. 

Having stumbled upon a picture of the type of gun used to commit the murders, I cannot imagine that the parents should see such a thing.  I hope they identified bodies by the required pink and purple, preferably sparkling article of clothing or shoes worn by the little girls and the shirt or shoes most likely worn by the little boys.  You know, the macho shirt or shoes that declares “I’m a boy; I’m strong; I’m a sports fan”, just whatever. 

See if you do not hope the same for the parents.