Gun violence

 There are more guns in the United States than there are people. Why is that? Basically, the answer is greed and a country filled with scared people, either rightfully so or because of a belief in conspiracy theories. The gun manufacturers have developed guns for the military to provide us with a tactical advantage. Then they exploited Americans, using the second amendment to support them, and sold them to the general population. An AK15 is a military weapon which by its very name implies it is to be used to "assault" people and inflict maximum deadly force in a minimum period of time. At one time these were made illegal, but political and powerful lobbyist from the gun manufacturers overturned this act. Background checks to try to ensure that criminals, or people with mental health issues, could not purchase guns were opposed or voted down using the rhetoric that one party of government was trying to take away "everyone's" gun and their constitutional right to have them.

 The constitution second amendment was placed there to ensure that the people were free to defend themselves against a tyrannical government through the use of a capably armed militia. Because our government has become so toxic and polarized, we are suffering from the consequences of having representation by extremist, demigods, conspiracy theorist, and just people who cannot compromise. Common sense is no longer important, but what you can do to keep you power position or generate profits for a capitalist system running off the tracks.

Once again there has been a school mass shooting in the USA with twenty people being killed. Nineteen of these were elementary school children. They were killed by another child (18 years old) who was allowed to buy assault weapons as a "birthday gift". Many people who have their heads buried in the sand say that this person was a monster, pure evil, and this could not have been stopped by any more gun control. I totally disagree with this line of thought. These mass shooters were no more mentally ill than any off us. They we people who have been indoctrinated in a culture that promotes killing and are very "unhappy" with their lives or situations. Their choices are just morally different than what mainstream society would accept.

  

Gun control with background checks, bans on military weapons (and equipment) for the general public will not keep criminals from obtaining guns, but it will be harder. I don't hold anything against anyone who wants to hunt with a gun or have a firearm for home protection. But, you do not need an assault weapon or large magazine automatic to do this. Some politicians say that gun ownership is a human right. That is absolutely not true. Human rights deal with life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Owning a gun is not considered a human right, while having water, food, and shelter  are examples of "human" rights. Having a gun is a "privilege" that Americans are afforded.

Because our country is divided, polarized and unable to accept a win of any kind from those who hold different views, we will suffer these types of unspeakable acts. Nothing will get done until the majority of voters can find a platform which will make the changes. People will have to understand better how our experimental form of government works. The change has to come from the bottom up because those at the top are ill prepared to do the work of the people right now. And maybe I am wrong and what we see now in leadership and voters is who we really are as a nation. And that's my two cents on this subject.