You know, I try not to be contentious on this blog. I try to keep my head below the parapet, for my family's sake, and mostly that's fine.
But the events last Friday in a small town in Conneticut, and the subsequent reactions of some have driven me to break that self-imposed rule today. In an attempt to understand how it's come to this, I've been reading a great deal of what has been available online and whilst most of the articles are measured and respectful in their tone, the remarks in the comment boxes from people who are concerned that their precious 'right to bear arms' may be affected by this tragedy have been - well, not so much.
I know I speak as a non-US citizen and as someone who has never lived there. It could be argued that I have no concept of being part of a society where it's normal to have instruments of death as part of the furniture in a home. But that wasn't always the case in the UK, and I also speak as someone who's family has been directly touched by the horrific impact that guns can have on a life; my great uncle, aged only 17, shot himself in the face whilst cleaning a gun in the family home. My grandmother, aged 12, was left to clear up the blood and the part of his eye that remained on the floor when he had been taken to hospital. He died two months later, after a great deal of pain and suffering. Such a waste.
So, you know what? I think I'm allowed to comment on this. I'm going to, anyway.
But I'll keep it short. So, for anyone out there who believes that the right to have a gun in their home is more important than one child's life - let alone 20, and the 6 heroic adults who died trying to protect them - I have this for you.
Charlotte, Daniel, Olivia, Josephine, Ana, Dylan, Madeline, Catherine, Chase, Jesse, James, Grace, Emilie, Jack, Noah, Caroline, Jessica, Benjamin, Avielle, Allison.
Those children had names. Read that list, and then tell me you're not ready to give up your fxcking gun.
*President Obama in his speech at the vigil for the victims of the Newtown shootings. You can read the full transcript here.
But the events last Friday in a small town in Conneticut, and the subsequent reactions of some have driven me to break that self-imposed rule today. In an attempt to understand how it's come to this, I've been reading a great deal of what has been available online and whilst most of the articles are measured and respectful in their tone, the remarks in the comment boxes from people who are concerned that their precious 'right to bear arms' may be affected by this tragedy have been - well, not so much.
I know I speak as a non-US citizen and as someone who has never lived there. It could be argued that I have no concept of being part of a society where it's normal to have instruments of death as part of the furniture in a home. But that wasn't always the case in the UK, and I also speak as someone who's family has been directly touched by the horrific impact that guns can have on a life; my great uncle, aged only 17, shot himself in the face whilst cleaning a gun in the family home. My grandmother, aged 12, was left to clear up the blood and the part of his eye that remained on the floor when he had been taken to hospital. He died two months later, after a great deal of pain and suffering. Such a waste.
So, you know what? I think I'm allowed to comment on this. I'm going to, anyway.
But I'll keep it short. So, for anyone out there who believes that the right to have a gun in their home is more important than one child's life - let alone 20, and the 6 heroic adults who died trying to protect them - I have this for you.
Charlotte, Daniel, Olivia, Josephine, Ana, Dylan, Madeline, Catherine, Chase, Jesse, James, Grace, Emilie, Jack, Noah, Caroline, Jessica, Benjamin, Avielle, Allison.
Those children had names. Read that list, and then tell me you're not ready to give up your fxcking gun.
*President Obama in his speech at the vigil for the victims of the Newtown shootings. You can read the full transcript here.
