Why I Believe We Are Bigger Than Our Weapons

Change is usually triggered by enormous opportunity or gut-wrenching pain. I think we know which emotion is driving our change today.

I think that, because of the death of our children, we are more thoughtful today. Most of us are not screaming obscenities at one another. We are not performing our desperate acts to get the attention of a camera.

Today, we are solemn. We are still overwhelmed with grief. And we are ready to take proactive measures to build on the spirits of those we lost.

I cannot begin to pretend that any of us want to stand up for hand-held devices that release deadly shards of metal at high speeds instead of the lives of our children.

I cannot bear the thought that our need for “rights” includes assault weapons that have one purpose — to kill mass numbers of people quickly.

I believe in gun owners who are responsible. I have a close friend who went deer hunting to thin the herd due to overpopulation and starvation. He found a family of deer that had been gunned down by an automatic weapon. He was devastated.

I know that we have protected our assault weapons because lobbyists have told us that once we start regulation against any gun, then all guns will be removed from all homes. That’s a message of fear, and we’re done being manipulated. We have children to protect.

I believe that good hunters don’t need assault weapons, and most don’t own them. For those of you who defend these weapons and are mesmerized by their power, I suggest you release your weapons first. You make me nervous.

I trust that as Americans we will throw our bodies in front of our children before we will throw them in front of a piece of metal.

I believe that we want teachers who share knowledge and love, not teachers armed and ready to take a life in a split second in front of the children in his or her classroom.

Yes, we could all walk around armed. We could become the Wild West again, shooting someone for snoring too loud. I had a man tell me once that if you are going to own a gun, you have to be willing to shoot someone without hesitation, and you only shoot to kill. Otherwise, the gun is turned on you. I don’t believe we will become so hardened that everyone is ready to kill without hesitation. I believe our souls would be too wounded by that prospect.

We value living in a free country too much to turn America into a police state. We are not asking for the removal of all weapons, but rather we are asking for responsible legislation.

I think we know that it’s time.

I believe we are going to stop being manipulated by political pundits who are playing with their power by delivering fear and do what is right.

Because I believe in Americans, and I believe in people, and I believe the children are our future.

P.S. If you want to know how to take action on gun control, check out Sharon Hodor Greenthal’s blog.