Around 1965, four mopped top youths were changing music.  The Beatles traveled to America’s South.  There, by certain individuals, they were called girls, faggots, anything under the sun you can imagine.  They were also threatened by being shot with guns.  This terrified them all, especially John, who wrote the song “Happiness is a Warm Gun”.  In a horrible twist of fate, years later he would be shot and killed by a gun from a man with extreme mental problems.  Sounds like nothing has changed.  

-Happiness is a warm gun-  That is what the NRA (National Rifle Association) would like you to believe.  “Guns don’t kill people” they argue, “people kill people”.  They either blame rock music or some outside force when a disturbed kid goes into a school, church or festival and murders people.  As a young man, I was disturbed by the fact that I could go to war and kill someone or buy a gun at age 18, but not able to drink a beer.  Why is that? Can alcohol be more deadly than a semi-automatic weapon?  In the Old West patrons were to check their guns at the door, because even in a violent era; people knew guns and booze are a lethal mix.  

Guns have defined America since its painful birth.  Guns were a necessity when living in colonial times.  You needed a gun to hunt for food and to protect yourself against raiding Indians.  Are the British taking our homes anymore?  No! Then where are our regulated militias to fight off the Redcoats? Guns define us for better or worse. We as Americans can be responsible and have a discussion about guns, but in order to do that we have to engage in an adult discourse. State run legislators and Congress are listening to the special interest groups instead of their own constituents. -Bang Bang Shoot Shoot-

The 2nd amendment will always be here with us and it’s interpretation has morphed over time.  After the Civil War, Freed Blacks took to carry guns out in the open for protection especially in Southern states.  As Reconstruction ended and Jim Crow showed its racist face, guns were a necessity for Free men and women to protect their farms and themselves as they could be killed by just walking down the street.  In 1934, Machine guns were outlawed in this country because they were deemed too dangerous.  Machine guns were considered a hazard for the public and a law was created to keep them out of American citizens’ hands.

In today’s society there is a market of fear, if you don’t own a gun, then you’re a victim.  The NRA says you need a gun to protect yourself from certain people.  When a Republican was in the White House, gun laws designed to protect the citizens of the District of Columbia, were overturned(W. Bush).  Now in the District you are free to pack heat.  Over and over we hear of another massacre involving guns.  We call ourselves civilized but we aren’t as a Nation. We have a health problem of guns. -Mother Superior jumped the gun-

Guns in our popular culture are everywhere.  People say pornography is a problem.  Perhaps. But doesn’t it also make violent or sexually repressed individuals have an outlet so that their fetishes hopefully will not hurt anyone?  Guns, like pornography are extremely easy to get or find in today’s America.  Hand guns are designed for one thing in mind, and that is too kill.  You don’t see someone going to hunt deer with handguns.  In the aftermath of the Parkland shooting in Florida, the Florida state legislator was swamped by courageous young adults to argue against weapons of mass destruction.  As they marched on the statehouse, the Florida state run government deemed that smut was more detrimental to their health than a gun and instead voted an anti-pornography bill.  What a punch in the gut to the survivors.  It is amusing that the Republicans in their weird sexually repressed way of so called family values want a kid to buy a gun instead of self flagellation in their bedroom.  Pretty disturbing behavior by Floridian Republicans to put real life weapons into the hands of children but no-no to putting their own body parts in their hands.  -When I hold you in my arms oh yeah , and I feel my finger on your trigger, I know nobody can do me no harm-

The kids who started the movement from the Parkland high school survivors of that horrific shooting are doing wonderful work.  I am encouraged that the kids are not afraid of the NRA.  You know who is scared of the NRA, politicians who receive a ton of money so that the NRA can make more money.  I guess profit for gun sales is more important to the NRA then American’s blood in the street.  The NRA will argue that the right to bear arms is for freedom or now is not the time to talk about extreme gun violence.  Politicians will then placate any progress on gun control by sending their thoughts and prayers to the victims.  Those are code words that nothing will happen on the state level or the federal level.  Parkland students and all the other students protesting should not be discouraged because the NRA has the politicians scared.  Everyone should feel safe in schools, not frightened. It is unfair to the young people of this country.  -Because Happiness, is a warm gun Mama, oh yeah…-

The NRA might win this round, and the next few rounds, but change is coming thanks to these courageous kids starting this anti-gun movement.  The Revolution will be televised.