Too many Hollywood movies. Too many depictions of invincible macho war machines.
Keanu Reeves aka Neo the Chosen One for example, or the one man army of Arnold Schwarzenegger aka Terminator.
Single handedly responsible for the salvation of the human race or something like that.
People especially Americans have started swallowing the fairy tale of the mythic hero who saves his family and homestead from the guns of the invaders the villainous corrupt government the borderline lunatics on the fringes of society.
How will they do so? Um...through purchase of guns of course. And of course they need those sophisticated assault weapons just in case it's the corrupt government they have to contend with. ...presumably on Armageddon day.
I can almost envisage the apocalyptic scenes that flash through those drive in movie minds.
A core Christian belief in the End of Days (where the angels blow trumpets of doom), coupled with the fear of a renegade US government turning upon its oen poor huddled masses, and boom!
We're against Gun Control because we need guns to protect ourselves.
Never mind that however many sophisticated weapons you buy, to the US army your arsenal will look like a toy shop.
And the people who profit making weapons for mass consumption and mass destruction will rake in money with their blood stained claws. Laughing all the way to the bank.
Most men post their reasons for justifying gun possession on social media as "I will die protecting my women and children and my home with my finger on the trigger, God bless America!"
You know what? If it's really the Government that turns rogue, then yes You will die. And leave behind orphans and widows because your weapons won't be a match for trained warriorswith their firepower.
Unless you really are a cybernetic organism or Mr. Faster-than-thought Anderson.
The real service that you could provide your women and children would be to tirelessly campaign for legislation limiting government powers, putting caps on defence spending and yes enforcing strict gun control.
That would quickly take care of all the lunatics who want to walk into schools movie theatres and churches and take down as many as they can in a mass decimation, before they can complete
their personal suicide missions.
Yes don't laugh American heros, or wannabes, each time you mouth off about how you'll protect your families with guns if necessary you're also only mentally enacting personal suicide missions.
A far better service to your families and nations would be to do the more difficult less adrenalin stirring thing. Use your brains neurons firing till the last cells go kaput and not your laughably limited brawn.
You might find brain cells don't die in vain but leave behind pathways and associated networks for others to follow. True heroes are not Greek gods with bulging six packs but those who hone their minds to cut through what the opposition purposely puts up...
Veils of dissimulation.
I'm Indian. Yes we're not allowed to possess guns by our corrupt and twisted government.
But you know what? At least for that one mercy I thank them.
It means guns are equally hard to come by for our local nut jobs who want to walk into my sons schools and spill some fresh kindergarten blood.
And the mentally ill exist in every society and indeed they won't go away.
But guns can and should if you say you're civilized and the oen is your only sword.
I write this because even at this great distance of space and now sadly time,
I renember spending Christmas Day crying for the innocents of Sandy Hook.
As a family we couldn't stop each time we looked at our two laughing toddlers rolling on the floor in joy secure in their parents protection.
And then watching amazed while the so called Superpower of the First World pussyfooted around the powerful defence dealers and gun lobbyists and showed that they're utterly helpless to enforce strong measures.
Guns they won't protect you.
Against an organized and paid police force or militia.
Against the lawbreakers and lunatics, well you won't need them to, if they're totally deprived and stripped of the opportunity to possess guns too.
Sale of firearms for mass consumption and the ballooning growth of a profit making industry on it's shoulders is what has to be stopped. Because greed is the reason for the perpetuation of evil. Greed and political cowardice and mass hypnosis birthing megalomania.
Guns will not ultimately empower.
But mass protests using the power of your united votes, campaigning for comprehensive legislation and imposing sanctions on the gun industry ousting them fully from civilian spheres will .
(c) Amrita Valan 2015
