@ Starlight Diner in Glendale Az.
It has been a frantic couple of weeks for me personally and the world. The biggest real deal was the school massacre in Newtown. The biggest not real deal is the end of the world on Friday, 21 Dec. 2012. I am writing as fast as I can, just in case. Neither of the events in themselves need nor deserve any comments from me. The fallout from them both deserves mention.
The NRA commented as follows:
"The National Rifle Association of America is made up of four million moms and dads, sons and daughters – and we were shocked, saddened and heartbroken by the news of the horrific and senseless murders in Newtown.
Out of respect for the families, and as a matter of common decency, we have given time for mourning, prayer and a full investigation of the facts before commenting.
The NRA is prepared to offer meaningful contributions to help make sure this never happens again.
The NRA is planning to hold a major news conference in the Washington, DC area on Friday, December 21."
The 21st is also the alleged end of the world. I wonder if there is a connection.
I suspect that again the NRA will say “Guns don’t kill people; people do.” I agree with that statement. So, how do we keep guns out of the hands of people that kill people? As far as I can tell, efforts to keep guns out of the hands of people that kill rob and steal, are not working. How many felons do you read about that are found to posses firearms when they run afoul of the law? Guns kill over 10,000 people every year in the United States. Didn’t we just record 2,000 deaths in Afghanistan from the time it began? Those that died there were professionals that knew their lives were at risk. Since we no longer have a draft, I assume that they volunteered to join our military. Six and seven year olds don’t know enough to volunteer. Bystanders at a drive by shooting haven’t volunteered either.
Those innocents have been denied what our Declaration of Independence declares is an inalienable right. We are deserving of:”... life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” Driving a car is not a “right”; it is a privilege, (according to the last Arizona drivers manual I read). Why, should owning a firearm be any different? I agree with our President; now is the time to do something about this problem. Let’s do it!
I was in my dentist’s office for an extended visit this am, and one of the topics was the imagined end of the world by any of several different means. Fire, volcanoes, floods and violence are the most popular. There is a guy in China building an ark for his family. At least two entrepreneurs are selling survival pods for whatever takes place. If this had happened in 1952, nuclear war would have topped the list. Maybe, this is progress? My dentist wondered about the intelligence of people that believe that because the ancient Mayan calendar is ticking over, the end is here. It bothers him that, the same people that believe this, vote for president. (I added: and also the same people that voted for Jan Brewer for Governor of Arizona.) This thought popped into my head because in his waiting room, I read an article in Phoenix Living. It was complaining about the low ranking for intelligence that Phoenix/Scottsdale received by a poll in Travel and Leisure magazine. 35th I believe, but could be wrong. The main point of that article was that we have a high percentage of college grads and people in Mensa in the area. (26% college grads, but again I am not sure.) My point is that college doesn’t necessarily make anyone more intelligent. Mensa members are a very small percentage of the population. Arizona is either last or next to last on per pupil spending for schools. To prove the low ability to think I offer:
Arizona elected Even Mecham, Fife Symington and Jan Brewer as Governor.
We have a legislature that passed a law allowing guns in bars.
People that want to allow guns on state university campuses.
Arizona kicked patients with mental illness out of state care – most of them wander the streets now. The latest round is of those with schizophrenia. I don’t know of any restriction on those people’s “right” to have guns or even a concealed carry permit.
OK, there are more but I am already becoming depressed.
It is much too nice a day to be depressed. Instead of meditating about the end of the world, lack of intelligence in the electorate and other distressing problems, I will concentrate on the mild sunny weather (temps high 50’s and 60’s), and the joys of the Advent Season.
Advent is a time when we Christians look to the birth of Jesus. I have long since given up thinking that the First coming of Jesus was meant to save mankind from the effects of His second coming with its terrible events. But, I do believe that for those who believe in his teachings, a better time is here. If enough of us follow those teachings a better time will come for the whole Earth. Even in Arizona.
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