I detest guns. I’ve never even held one in my hand but I hate ’em. I read headlines about gun violence every day. This one was buried in AZCentral.com, but it just goes to show you that gun violence doesn’t even earn front page real estate anymore.
I wish there were no guns. But I know they’re not going away, not in this country. So I’m not rallying to take gun rights away.
I’m writing tonight to confess.
The new Bourne movie came out and I went to see it. It is FILLED with gun violence (stabbing and choking, too). I couldn’t help it. I am a huge fan of Matt Damon’s. And I like action movies. I like intrigue and psychological thrillers.
But people, it’s FANTASY.
And I think that is where some of us are going wrong. It’s a movie about bad guys vs. good guys/gals – the oldest story structure of all. And some Americans believe – truly believe – they are the good guys and with guns, and that they can fight and win a (gun)battle against a bad guy.
But more often – way more often – the good American gets fearful and shoots his wife/girlfriend/child/neighbor. The disgruntled employee shoots his boss and co-workers. The embittered, bullied student shoots his classmates. A 5 year old shoots his 2 year old brother. And too many bad guys have guns. Too many mentally ill people have access to guns.
So, I confess. I gave into a guilty pleasure. I supported a movie that glorifies gun violence and I know that’s bad.
I’m going to repent by teaching kids really well this year.
Kismet 
Rusty:
I’ve heard Canada has as many guns as the United States. Maybe the numbers are less. Certainly the gun violence in Canada is less. I suppose I have an opinion as to why. The United States loves its guns. It also doesn’t have socialized medicine which can care for mental illness in those that need it. It also doesn’t have the racial divisions that this country struggles from, which I believe carries over from slavery and the mindset that enabled the practice.
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Hi William, I am not sure if Canadians own as many guns per household as Americans; I don’t know anyone in my circle who has a gun, except my rural friends and relatives who have hunting rifles. I am not naive to think that there aren’t others who share this desire to have many assault rifles (including the criminal element), but by and large, there are many other ways to solve an argument than by guns.
You are probably right about the commonwealth of public health that cares for our neighbours. And indeed, we do not share the same “love affair” with guns – for we also don’t share a fear that we must one day rise up one day to fight our military/police. I suspect this speaks to the quality of democracy, including the democratization of police forces, etc. What ever it is, the general acceptance of violence in all its forms is astonishing. Thanks
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Dear Chungwipff,I’m not sure what kind of response you expect or will get, but thanks for “going there.” As a Canadian, I see things from a more “gunless” society (overstating the case, of course), and have written with alarm to our cultural acceptance of the place of violence in our society. Not sure you’d be interested in reading more in my series – but it is troubling to see the proliferation of gun violence as an artifact of everyday living: https://moreenigma.wordpress.com/tag/violence/
Shalom to you.
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Thank you for your response. With the election coming, dirty politics, and the gun violence, I envy you your Canadian status! I enjoyed reading your blog. Good stuff.
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