SUMS IT UP PERFECTLY

David Letterman made a very true statement filled with insight: 
"I've never seen a deer worth 30 rounds of ammo and an automatic rifle."

His statement reminded me of a comment my wife's father made to his then son-in-law who was admiring his father-in-law's semi-automatic service pistol and expressed a desire to have one.  The wise old police officer said that such a gun was for killing people and he didn't need a gun like that.

That's the real crux of the matter. 

People who want assault rifles usually have a "Rambo complex."  They often feel that the government is their oppressor and enemy because it doesn't rubber stamp their particular attitudes, assurances and prejudices.  They assume there is a plot for the government to take over and destroy all their "freedoms."  They want to be prepared to resist and "take back my country."

Sound familiar?  It's been a common refrain ever since a black skinned man won the presidency.  It rears its ugly head every time someone points out the insanity of the religious right's attempts to legislate their religion into every aspect of the common citizen's life.  By gawd. they're going to be "christian soldiers" or a "Phineas priest."  They consider it their "faith assignment" to be judge, jury and executioner, and that assault rifle is very effective in carrying out that supposed divine ordination.

When ordinary people become psycologically inflamed by faith-inspired ideology and conspiracy theories, it's very easy for psychoses to take over.  It happened with the inquisition.  It happened in Nazi Germany.  It's happening in Africa where witches are being hunted, denounced and executed right now by Sarah Palin's deluded friends.

We never should have allowed the ban on assault weapons to expire.  It's made millions for arms manufacturers, but it has turned our nation into a very dangerous place where the most minor mental crisis some individual might have can suddenly morph into the most horrible of tragedies.  He or she doesn't even need to own the weapons themselves.  They can simply appropriate the weapons others have lying around.

When my wife's adopted Yavapai Apache son was paroled from prison, we knew his alcoholism could flare at any time, and when he is drinking he is completely out of his head.  We were very concerned about the guns I had in the house and never used.  Our solution was to sell them to people who had a legitimate use for such firearms.  Spending time at shooting ranges, plinking away with expensive ammo at targets doesn't appeal to me, and I certainly wasn't going to spend a fortune at my age stumbling around in the mountains after a deer or elk I couldn't deal with after I bagged it.  So, we have not a single gun in the house.  If any cowardly "phineas priest" hates my writings enough, I'm an easy target.  I won't be shooting back.

It certainly doesn't take 30 rounds of high-power ammo to bring down a deer.  A deer hit with that kind of firepower would be rendered inedible.  Little children and dedicated teachers hit like that are just DEAD!