I don’t know where you stand on gun control, and frankly, I don’t even care anymore. Yes, I’m pro-gun… My husband used to be a gun dealer and we have dozens of them (locked safely away — for those of you worried–in a couple of safes that I couldn’t open if you had a gun to my head). What kind of gun or whether it’s used for shooting clays or shooting game isn’t even a problem for me and I know I probably have more than a few animal rights followers and anti-gun parents in my readership and I truly apologize of what I am about to say offends you and I hope we can still be friends.
But this must be said:
Why is the CDC wanting to investigate guns as a public health crisis when every mass murder/shooting has had one of two factors involved:
Islam…
Or medical anti-depressants.
Ask any veteran who’s been deployed to our enemy territories in the last 15 years. Yes, there are Muslims who are kind and will give you the shirt off their back. Marcus Luttrell in “Lone Survivor” was on the run from the Taliban when a local family took him in and risked their lives for his. But there can be no doubt that there are literally millions of radicalized Muslims who shout for joy when they hear of American tragedies and eagerly plot and pray for the destruction of western freedoms.
These factions have cells in our country and as completely unbelievable as it is for me to think that they walk among us and live ordinary lives, just like the San Bernadino killers, it’s for real. Islam and the mosques preaching hate and Sharia Law are more of a public health crisis than an inanimate weapon.
And the drugs.
When we have a commercial advertisement on television that spends more time in a whispered rush warning you of potential dangerous and suicidal side effects than it does touting its possible benefits– we must beware. I’m not at all hating on anyone using anti-depressant or medicines of the like if a doctor prescribes them because you need them…but I’ve had very dear friends– on more than one occasion– use these medicines only to suffer worse from the side effects of these drugs than from their sleeplessness, depression, or anxiety. These drugs can definitely make the patient do and say things that are completely out of character. And in one of the most personal tragedies I’ve ever experienced, a local multiple murder that took several family members of a dear friend, the drugs that the killer was on for years completely factored into his behavior.
I know. Who NEEDS a gun that can fire so many bullets so rapidly? Who NEEDS so many guns? We’ll be safer if we remove these weapons or at least make it harder to get them. I hear you. I may not agree with you, but I hear you.
But we will truly be safer when we call out the real enemy behind the inanimate objects and confront what is driving these people to kill.
[bctt tweet=”We will be safer when we call out the real enemy and confront what is driving these people to kill.” username=”lyettereback”]
When we can have a dialogue that doesn’t politicize the guns but looks at what causes people to use them, when we can can look at the cold hard facts about the effects of hateful Theo-political agendas and the drugs that are SUPPOSED to be helping mental illness yet Sandy Hook still happens…then we can begin to make real progress on preventing these horrific tragedies like Orlando and Sandy Hook.
Jerald D Ring says
I could not agree with you more. Very well said.
Barbara Raby Herring says
Your last paragraph says it all — and so beautifully written, my dear friend. And just so absolutely true.
Marilou Johns says
Perfect. Arguments for less assault weapons will only bring on more bomb makers. People set on killing hundreds can’t be stopped when they are willing to die for their mission. I am against banning assault weapons for one reason and one reason only. It is baby steps toward a more broad attempt to disarm us. I never let my kids watch PG movies because I knew if they could freely watch PG they would start pushing for PG-13. It is human nature. I have seen this method used by so many liberal groups. First they just wanted first trimester abortions then second and now we all know what we have. We can not allow a foot in the door regarding our rights to protect ourselves. This includes a tyrannical government. Remember how the American Indians were “under armed” compared to the British citizens and we all know what happened to them. Our forefathers made the second amendment number two, right after freedom of speech, for a reason. They knew that a government out of control could easily take over the un-armed people. Ok, I’m done. Thanks for your post Lyette, you are spot on.
Matthew Cejmer says
Sorry, but American citizens are already “under armed” compared to the American government and banning or not banning assault weapons won’t change that. I’m all for gun ownership for personal/home defense or hunting. Many mass shootings have been prevented by people concealed carrying handguns. But if you actually think that we would currently stand any kind of real chance against a tyrannical American government simply because we had or didn’t have assault weapons, then I believe that you’re out of your mind. So to me, that is not any kind of valid reason to argue against the ban of assault weapons when so many mass shootings are so successful in killing so many people mostly because of the possession of a legally purchased assault weapon. That simply cannot continue to go unchecked. Sure, if we did ban them, some people would still get their hands on them if they tried hard enough. And the two reasons that Ms. Reback pointed out in this article: Radical Islamists and side effects of drugs, still stand and are still valid concerns. But I can’t personally watch all of these mass shootings continue to occur and then stomach the fact that these people achieved them by purchasing legal assault weapons so easily. That needs to end.
Lyette Reback says
Matthew Cejmer Looking over your facebook posts, I love that we can agree on Brock and disagree on guns. As brothers and sisters in Christ AND Americans, I am grateful for polite and passionate discourse.
Marilou Johns says
Matthew Cejmer before you start insinuating that someone is “out of their mind” you may want to go back and re-read my entire comment. Banning assault weapons is a baby step toward completely disarming us all. Once they get started they keep going. Hillary Clinton said that she would take a look at what they did in Australia. In Australia they disarmed all the citizens. If Isis shows up at my front door I want to be armed with weapons as powerful as the ones they have. I probably will still end up dead but at least I won’t go down without a fight. You really CAN have polite discourse without using expressions like “you are out of your mind” People really can be intellegent, thinking individuals and differ in opinion from others on matters of guns. Have a nice day.
Matt Redmond says
What is an assault weapon?
Rachel Walls Godin says
Thank you for always speaking truth, popular or not.
Lyette Reback says
Matt Redmond right bc every weapon assaults!