Has Someone Put LSD in the Water Supply?
By: Edward W Hackett
Tags: Politics, Guns, Pro Life, Family

Photo by Nqobile Vundla on Unsplash

Are there people who are incapable of rational thought?

Nothing about guns, besides abortion, brings forth such unbelievable thoughts. I have heard the most outrageous things from Pro-Life and gun supporters. These ridiculous statements make me think that once you have “Drunk the Cool-Aide,” there is no longer the possibility of rational thought.

For example:

Signs proclaiming “I’m Pro+Life and Pro-Gun” on the same banner. Guns are tools for killing both animals and people. So if you feel that some cells represent a person and that all life is sacred, how can you be pro-gun? Does anyone see a conflict between these messages? The Democrats can’t take away your guns — that would require an act of Congress, and we all know that Congress lacks the courage to stand up to the gun lobby. The state where I live requires a person to get a learner's permit and take a test before legally driving. I have not fired a gun in over fifty years, yet I can walk into a gun shop and buy a high powered firearm without passing any test of my ability to use this weapon. There is a waiting period for certain types of guns, and I do need to pass a background check, but none of these minor inconveniences addresses my ability to use a gun safely.

I do not own any firearms, nor do I hunt or fish. I’m not against any of these activities, but I am against incompetent people owning firearms. They are a danger to themselves and others.

What harm is there in requiring people to pass a competency test before they can purchase a firearm? Why can’t we have a law requiring gun locks on all firearms? I have read about gun locks that will respond to just one person, so if you need protection in your home, the gun lock will recognize the owner, and the gun will be capable of firing.

I have also heard the argument that we need guns to protect ourselves from the government. Do you really believe that the best trained white supremacist, para-military group has a chance against the worst Army platoon? If the government is coming for you, your best chance of survival is in the court system, not with a gun behind a tree.

The same types of questions come to mind when I hear the Pro-Life people talking about abortion. If you believe that all human life is sacred, then to be consistent, you must be against capital punishment and all forms of warfare.

We have jails that are impossible to escape from, so we do not need executions. People can be sentenced to life in prison with no chance of parole, and we are not in danger of taking a sacred life.

War is the biggest killer of innocent people. We drop bombs that indiscriminately kill innocent civilians as well as enemy soldiers. Surely, if all life is sacred, war must be the largest taking of sacred human life.

Conclusion:

It is past the time for the average American citizen to wake up, realize that their political leaders are fooling them. Follow the money — who stands to gain by advocating for these positions?

Does the gun lobby have your best interests at heart, or do they merely want to sell more guns and not be held legally liable for the use of these weapons?

Do the advocates of Pro-Life positions really care about human life? Do they support child care so parents can go to work? Do they support increased educational opportunities for all children? Do they care that making blanket laws inserts a wedge between a doctor and patient and can harm the mother's life? Is the mother’s life worth any more or any less than the unborn child?

These are complex questions, and I do not have the answers. I am asking for people to ask these questions before they issue blanket endorsements for any position — pro or con.