This just in: In my humble opinion, there are two things that Trump, Republicans and Hard Core NRA members all have in common: (1) The are selfish and (2) They are afraid.
Here is the choice we all have: We can legislate common sense gun regulations (see tab on bar above) or we can continue to let guns flood our streets, killing families and children by the tens of thousands every year.
When faced with this choice, the Hard Core NRA guy will tell you, “I need my guns to protect my family.”
What he is really saying is, “I will accept the 8-fold increase in chances that my family will be killed by a gun; specifically the gun I own.” They are also saying, “I am willing to let the slaughter continue nation-wide so that I can have a gun just in case I am that one rare individual faced with a home invader that also has a gun; allowing us to shoot it out across the living room sofa.”
They could buy a lock for their door. They could get a dog. They could put motion lighting around their house. They could support local taxes that would beef up police staffing.
Instead they are saying, “You get to die so that I can have a fantasy about being a cowboy at high noon.”
This is both selfish and fearful.
Interestingly, this is the same attitude that turns people away from science and facts to support Republican Policies that take from the rich to give to the poor or taking food stamps from the poor because someone once met a lazy poor guy. They don’t want to pay taxes so they readily believe anything that says, “You can get free stuff and not pay taxes.” That is the promise of Trump and the Republican Party.
They fear a God that doesn’t want them to masterbate. They fear the homeless because their mere presence lowers the value of their home. They fear home invaders that don’t exist. They would even fear unicorns with body armor if Trump told them this was a thing.
Republicans are rightly called “conservative.” They cling to a past that never existed like some old episode of Twilight Zone. Bring back typewriters and horse-drawn wagons and watch our economy blossom.
Sounds ridiculous; I know. But take conservative ideas back to their natural end and that is what you get…something ridiculous.
I consider myself a “progressive”. I think the next big thing is in front of me; not in my rearview mirror.
I also consider myself fed up. Regular readers may have noticed that I no longer try to sugar coat things.
I can no longer sit around and say, “Well, isn’t that sweet that you think we should give more money to the rich who will then hire people to mow their lawns.”
It’s time to say, “The Right is Wrong!”
Time to save the world.
Up, up and away…
Jim
Note: On May 1st, I will cancel my Facebook account.
