Let's talk about guns (08/15/19)

Let's talk about guns.

I used to think guns were cool. As a kid I was fascinated by them. I would pretend to be a cowboy and find a branch that somewhat resembled a pistol. As I got older and got to fire a few, I found I had a pretty decent knack for hitting my target. When I bought my first pistol, I realized that I felt nervous holding it, even unloaded. I decided to practice with it until I felt comfortable handling it, and started going to the range on a fairly regular basis. Now I feel confident handling firearms, but what has become paramount to me over the years is gun safety. As an actor / camera operator, I regularly work on sets that use guns, usually fake props but sometimes guns that fire blanks. My biggest pet peeve is seeing guns mishandled. To me, gun safety is an ongoing mind set, and that's true whether it's a real gun or a water pistol. Always treat it like it's loaded, keep it pointed in a safe direction, keep your finger off the trigger until you're ready to fire, and be aware of your target and what's beyond it. My own personal rule is that I treat all guns as if they're real. As a result of all this, I regularly get asked if I've served in the military. To be honest, it makes me proud that they notice.

Here's the thing though. I don't like guns anymore. The responsibility I feel when I'm around them is huge, and frankly I'm tired of seeing people who are either ignorant and scared or careless and irresponsible. I no longer find them intriguing because I know enough about them to see them for what they are: tools.

Now let's talk about these tools in the context of society. We basically have two extreme opposing views. On one side, we have those who believe that every American has the right to own and bear arms, and on the other side, we have those who want guns to be outlawed. Most of the population falls somewhere in between, myself included. I don't think that either extreme is true, but I also have no idea what needs to happen. I just know that something needs to happen.

I am literally at a point where I would be happy with either extreme, just to see how it turns out. I am so fed up with this unending cycle of violence, I would totally be down to experiment just to see what works. And by the way, I'm not just referring to mass shootings. Those are the atrocities that stir up the public, but way more people die every single minute just from homicide and accidental shootings. So, what do we need to do to save lives? I'm down for whatever.

Now, having said that, here's a hypothetical scenario. What if someone could only buy a firearm if they underwent extensive training, but once they did, they would be allowed to carry it anywhere? My logic is this: The difference between a regular person and a police officer is training, right? So, what if every person who had a gun was highly trained in how to use it? How much would that reduce accidental shootings? How much would it deter homicide?

Some might argue that requiring training would be an infringement on the 2nd Amendment. I don't think it is any more than requiring background checks and not allowing open carry. At the end of the day, I could not care less about the 2nd Amendment. I care about saving lives. If a full on ban and collection of all firearms would save lives, bring it on. I don't think it would, but who knows? Let's give it a go. Now, historically, every mass genocide has been preceded by guns being outlawed, so that's a thought, but aren't we kind of going through an ongoing genocide anyway? Let's go full Australia and test the waters.

On the other hand, we could hand out guns like Las Vegas escort flyers and give that a shot (pun completely intended). Maybe if someone was thinking about shooting up a school but knew that even the 3rd graders were strapped, they'd reconsider. Who knows? I sure don't.

All I know is that people keep dying, and nothing changes, and we're slowly but surely becoming numb. I know am. I hear of another mass shooting and I roll my eyes and wonder what society is coming to. Apparently this. This right here is what we are coming to. Apathy. We're not quite there yet. I'm not saying people don't care. I'm saying it's the next step after helplessness. If you can't change it, stop caring.

Well, dammit, I do care, and I'm angry. I'm angry that people get all up in a tizzy when 15 people die, but don't seem to give a fart in the wind about the thousands dying every day. I'm angry that the media polarizes people into groups and categories, pitting them against each other so that arguments trump debates. I'm angry that our government is too busy pointing fingers to offer anything more than thoughts and prayers. I'm angry and I'm tired and I just want something to change.

That is all... Now, carry on.