Another Valentine's Day - Another Mass Shooting

Another Valentines Day Another Mass Shooting

Slaughter in the elementary schools

Slaughter in our high schools

Slaughter on college campuses

Slaughter at a convenience store

Slaughter at a dance club

Slaughter on a farm

Slaughter in the stores

Slaughter in the supermarkets

Slaughter at our parades

Slaughter at our religious center’s

We cannot talk about gun regulation

We won’t support mental health initiatives

What can we do to stop this epidemic?

KFF reports: Firearms recently became the number one cause of death for children in the United States, surpassing motor vehicle deaths and those caused by other injuries.

For the record I support the second amendment. I am not for banning guns. Many friends hunt and feed their families. Some friends have guns for protection. I don’t want a gun registry forcing every gun owner to declare their collection or personal arsenal. Responsible stable people should be allowed to own guns.

A few questions I have that ought to be asked and perhaps discussed:

Do they need military grade weapons?

Should they be required to have insurance to own a gun similar to driving a car?

Should they be required to report their guns when they are stolen?

Should training be mandatory? The NRA used to be all about training and safety before they became a PAC for the gun manufacturers.

If we can’t talk about what can be done and if we won’t support the people who have mental issues and are prone to violence than we have conceded to accept the random acts of violence that are occurring way too frequently in the country. We are accepting that every time we go out a person with a gun could end our life or the the life of a spouse, a child, a parent, a friend or a complete stranger. Is this what we have become and allow?

I’m tired of waking up every morning and seeing these reports. I’m tired of going to bed worried about my kids, my mother, and random strangers that have to suffer this way. Is this the America we want? Is our individual freedom so much greater than the safety of our citizens?

This is not a great way to a start off Valentine’s Day which is supposed to be about love and caring (even if it is a Hallmark holiday and made up for commercial purposes).

So carry on because I doubt that anything will change and another mass shooting will happen again. I will be outraged and sad and disappointed again. Some will offer thoughts and prayers others will be shocked, devastated or sad. I accept this is our fate as we can no longer confront this issues because of our political divides grow deeper and larger with compromise, conversation and discussion being dirty words falling from our national discourse.