Soapboxing... take 1

The internet has essentially provided all of us with our own 'soapbox'. For better or worse. And, if you are reading this, you are just egging me on. I blame you.
_______________________________________________

I am liberal. (shocker, right?) But it might surprise you all to know that I am not so liberal on some of the issues. And, since I am a self proclaimed wanna-be political pundit, I decided that maybe I should start expressing my opinions on some of the issues.

So, one by one, I'll take an issue and let y'all know my thoughts on said issue. You may very well disagree with me (my husband does on most things), but (for what it's worth), this is...

The World According to Amy:

* Issue 1- GUN CONTROL: The old "guns don't kill people, people kill people" is bullshit! Yes, someone needs to pull the trigger, but if a gun never factored into the equation, the sum would very likely NOT be someone dead! The same day that the horrible Newtown tragedy occurred, there was a psycho on the loose in an elementary school in China. BUT, he had a knife. And, although he stabbed 22 children and an elderly woman, they all lived to tell the story. Guns DO kill people!

If it were up to me, guns would be outlawed 100%. Period. End of story. I know there would still be bad guys out there with guns, but lately it's not the stereotypical 'bad guys' who are doing the bad things. You take away guns, you take away gun death. How's that for ultra-liberal?

People often use self-defense as their platform for needing/wanting/deserving a gun. But how often to you actually have the wherewithal in an attack situation, to actually get your gun ready and use it? To that I tell my mugging story. (Note: although the moral of this story is 'No Guns Please!', the secondary moral should certainly be 'Don't be a Jack-Ass and Walk Home Drunk Late at Night in the City!')

The year was 2006. Drunk Amy and her equally drunk roommate, Meg, were walking home after a fabulous night out in Philly. All of sudden, they were both on the ground. Some young bad man had knocked them both down (by punching them in the back) and was quickly taking all of their things, while quite meanly punching and kicking them both. Young bad man hurt the nice young ladies with his punches, but quickly ran off. He got their purses, money, phones, and keys. Both girls tearfully got up and began their quest to find a pay phone (which is quite difficult in this day and age), to remember anyone's phone number (since their phones were stolen and who knows phone numbers of the top of their head anymore?), and flag down a police man (which was easier said than done). It was a harrowing evening, but both girls made it through to tell the story. The bad man got away with a couple bucks, a few old phones, and one of Amy's shoes (still not sure about the motive for that one).

Thankfully though, neither drunk Amy or drunk Megan had a gun on them. If either had 1) bad, mean man could have very well could used it on them, turning a couple bruises into a life threatening situation, and 2) bad, mean man would have then become bad, mean, armed and dangerous man... Also, if either girl did have a gun, and  miraculously managed to get it out in time, did mean, bad man really deserve to potentially die for a couple bruises and a stolen flip-flop?

Violence is always going to exist, but we can heal from bruises and even from stabs. But, guns kills people, simply with the flick of a finger. Accidents happen. Moments of weakness or passion lead to people dead. And that makes me sad.

Guns are bad.