A Bit O' Ranting

We've recently had two (1, 2) children accidentally kill themselves with guns in this state. One was two and one was eight. The eight year old shot himself with an Uzi of all things under the supervision of an instructor and his father. I can't imagine the pain the parents must feel with these situations, but who the FUCK thinks letting an eight year old shoot an Uzi is a good idea? Its insanity.

I wonder during that time, how many people, outside of law enforcement, have protected their own lives successfully with a gun. I bet its zero. I don't know about you, but it seems like a shitty trade-off to me. If golf clubs killed children every day in this country, I'd certainly give up the sport before I risked something tragic happening to my own child or someone else's. But so many idiots have to have a gun in their nightstand? And with kids in the house? Or, they see fit to take them to a gun club to show them how to shoot an Uzi? Am I way out of bounds here? What are we coming to? Its beyond insanity.

And how come so many of those that are most adamant about prohibiting a women's right to free choice - yet oppose the programs designed to help people who have children in hardship - are so vocally pro gun and have no problem with the death penalty. I guess women's choice is bad, but state sanctioned murder to teach people that murder is wrong is okay. Makes no sense to me. You can't buy Lawn Jarts at Wal*Mart because they're dangerous. But you can buy a gun. Why? To protect some archaic Constitutional "Right" at the expense of lives of children and other innocents?

And now, like it or not, you probably know who I'll be voting for. And I'm of no mind to apologize for it either. Despite all of which I've ranted about won't change its definitely time for some change. A fresh face. Fresh ideas. A new path. Aren't we tired of this shitty one? More war, more arrogance, more torture, more unemployment, more housing depreciation, more pissed off enemies and allies and continued crappy economy seems not the answer to me. If I have to pay a few more dollars in taxes to make this country better, I'll do my part. Because those that promise to lower taxes as they escalate national debt, aren't do us, or our kids, any favors.

I keep hearing we'll become Socialists. Give me a break! That's simply scare tactics and nothing more. The richest nation in the world ought to be able to come up with a few bucks to help some sick children, or give its own needy citizens a "hand up"as long as we can come up with $1 billion a month to blow up and rebuild Iraq and nearly $1 trillion to bail out banks and finance companies that give millions of millions to their top executives.

I know I'm kind of all over the place on this post. In any event, make sure to vote - even if you don't vote for my guy. Even if you think your guy might win in a landslide, or lose by a mile, or it won't make a difference - get out and vote. Apathy is dangerous and millions of people in this world would give their life (and have) for the right to elect their leaders. Sixty-four percent voted in our last presidential election. That's inexcusable to me.

We, as a nation, are better than that.

I will now leave my lecturn.