In theory, if you want to stop mass shootings, you get rid of guns. If you don’t want kids to get hurt, you don’t let them fall. If you don’t want car accidents to happen, you don’t drive. In theory, all these things are foolproof. But in reality, it never seems to work out that way. This attempt of protection doesn’t do much, you can tell people to do this or not do that all you want but nothing is you say or write by law will actually stop anything.
It’s a classic pro gun argument, take them away and people will still get them. It’s like a kid who got cut off from the cookie jar, eventually you’ll find them elbow deep with crumbs everywhere. Or maybe they’ll tear through the box of Pop Tarts instead. If you ban guns, restrict them, whatever, those people who are messed up enough to turn a gun against someone maliciously will either still find a way to get that gun or find another way. Let’s just take into account that according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, 37 percent of state prison inmates who possessed a gun when convicted, had obtained them illegally. Those criminals had no problem breaking one law, so why would they care about breaking two? Saying they are not allowed will not stop criminals from having them, it will only stop law abiding citizens from having homemade venison and protecting themselves and others from that 37 percent. And if you would like to say it will make it too difficult to get one, fine. Then what stops someone from making a dirty bomb or taking someone out with a kitchen knife.
If we are getting rid of everything that could do us damage, on top of the guns and knives let’s just throw away our keys and stop driving cars. Those crash and cause accidents every once in awhile. We should just eliminate every chance of that and go back to walking everywhere.
All of this explains why parents coddle their kids so much lately. It’s an epidemic of fear. They’re afraid their precious child will catch a cold from playing in the rain puddles. Or get gangrene thanks to the scrape on their knee from falling off the skateboard. Maybe the dirt under their fingernails will kill them in their sleep. No. That’s all ridiculous. Go let them build up their immune system and throw mud, let them try that dangerous trick they learned on the internet (Tony Hawks’ mom did), let them fall on their ass so they can learn how to get up and keep going. If you’re trying to keep them from getting hurt you might as well just throw them in a bubble and stop them from living life. There’s always going to be something or someone out there that can hurt you but that doesn’t mean it will or that you can’t handle it.
Fearing something does you no good, it won’t protect you from it, and hiding from it or banning it won’t make it go away. You can’t live your life in fear of something and you certainly can’t push your fear onto others, it’s yours to deal with. As harsh as this may sound, get over it. Go out there and live. I’m not saying go stock your arsenal but don’t be terrified by the thought of guns and just trust the people who have them for all the right reasons. Drive your car despite the risk, and let your kid play in the puddles as much as they want. Sure they might get a sniffle or a scratch but that’ll just build up their immune system. Coddling and hiding doesn’t help anyone. Get out there, live, and forget about your fears. You can’t try to get rid of everything that scares you, but you can stop being scared by it. Get rid of this fear epidemic. Live.
