Guns in America - Do we need so many? Is it time to change our laws?

A couple of days ago there was yet another mass shooting. This time an Orlando night club, catering to the LGBT and Latino communities. What is even sadder than the 50 people who lost their life due to some asshole with an assault rifle, is that second amendment nuts are only concerned with their “right” to own a gun. I don’t think it should be a fucking right, it should be a privilege for those who can demonstrate responsibility and are cleared of any concern of mental illness. I said it. I am in Texas, so I am literally safer writing it.

I engaged with a friend of a friend and briefly shared my story. I explained that my ex-husband was able to go get a cache of guns without haste. There was no waiting period and he had spent time in a mental ward and was on medication for bipolar people. I asked for more effective regulations that would weed out crazy people and radical fanatics. That sounds pretty easy right? If you don’t have mental illness then you shouldn’t be concerned. For example, I should not own a gun. I am too jumpy and my depression and anxiety doesn’t make me a sound candidate to be a gun owner. I am ok with that.

This guy tells me that I should have had better control over my ex. I just about spit my coffee out. Really? He thinks I knew about and encouraged this purchase? He has never been married and if he is his wife has him by the balls. I explained that I didn’t have knowledge, I did stand up for myself, eventually, I got the guns out of the house, ect. I shouldn’t have to defend myself because someone decided to wake me up with a gun. He never thought to blame the person holding the gun or loose regulations. It was my fault. For what? Going to sleep? Marrying a psychopath?

Then I remembered that there are people out there that are so brain washed and self-centered that they believe their right to hold a gun is more important than my right to life. How can your right to have a weapon that you say you never want to use on another human mean more than my life, or anyone’s life?

What’s even more ironic is the fanaticism we have with guns is due to really good fucking marketing and branding. The gun nuts feel the way they do, not because they really fear an intruder or boogie man. It has been instilled, generation-to-generation that owning a gun makes you a man, it should be your manly “instinct, “according to the WSJ .

So how do we fix it? Speaking with said fanatics is like talking to a child about sugar. They don’t get it. Will they ever?