I made this post on facebook and I will just drop it here. It's in regards to this article.
https://brenebrown.com/blog/2017/11...ullshit-practicing-civility-affecting-change/
This is my post, and I'm replying to someone on facebook:
I read the entire article. It goes off in a few different tangents:
Let's start with memes.
A few weeks ago here, I posted about the downfall of inaccurate memes. You, and one of your buds, didn't exactly share my negative opinion of what memes have become; I miss philosiraptor.
The argument made in the "bullshit" section of the amount of effort it takes to counteract false statements is very real. I actually will do the research to counter these false memes to both friends and family. Sometimes I slog through laws to find the actual information, and it can take 30 minutes to disprove a 4 liner. In the time I do the multiple people will read and reshare the memes. Maybe one or two people will read the research, but being involved in the process of reading through citations of lines within a law is quite droll.
To respond to one of your quotes, no one is going after handguns because that would likely be the most extreme form of hitting on the second amendment, and it's easily identifiable as a "no-go" zone.
As one of your liberal friends I have a pretty fond memory of being tied for the best shot in my hunter safety course. I've done my share of hunting, although I certainly don't count it among my favorite of things to do.
I've hunted several times with Tom Brokaw, and I know that Dan Rather also has done some form of hunting [at least the sitting in chairs, weird style of "hunting"], although they would be lambasted by many for being anti-gun without knowing their background.
Here's a recent, and quite succinct, article Tom wrote:
https://www.nbcnews.com/.../i-m-pro-gun-hunter-las-vegas...
We don't even get to that part of a discussion from a governmental standpoint. We're told first that "it's too early to talk about this, and that we have to grieve and mourn," shortly thereafter, whether days or weeks, others are thought and we retread that same maligned thought. "it's too early, you're being insensitive, we have to grieve and mourn". One of the things I'm proud of the Floridian kids and parents for doing is being active in the role of saying "hey, we need to do something about this,". If they're ready, then we're all ready to talk about this. They have blocked that political punt.
I made a recent discussion elsewhere that echoed words that Tom wrote in his above-linked article; we both refer to it as a public health threat, or as he put it "[a] threat to general welfare". I argued to do something, and I don't care what. Ok, so right now our government body has a predisposition to blaming this all on mental health. So run with it. Do something.
Let's station an armed security guard or veteran outside every single classroom in the entire nation. We can pay for it with the TSA budget.
Do something.
Let's arm every single teacher and college professor, as some politicians suggest, with a state-purchased firearm and see what the results are. [I really don't suggest this]
Do something.
Send every single gun purchaser in the United States to healthcare professionals for mental health clearance, then a repeat clearance every 3 years.
Do something.
Some combination of this will certainly have some impact, although with the zillion guns in the US it will not prevent it all from occurring.
Do something.
None of these prevent the purchase of guns, nor impede on the second amendment. Don't like these, then just propose something you do and I will support it; just actually follow through. Don't do something like this.
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-43088644
The president said to report people of suspicion. Good thing that was already tried in this latest shooting! It didn't work. So let's try something else. Do something. It's a full blown failure of our government and our country that we haven't.
Tonight in Costco I was listening to a woman who was talking rather passionately to her husband about second amendment rights. I went into the freezer to get some almond milk. I decided I would hide behind the pallet of almond milk if there was an active shooter in Costco.
Just do something.