I've Had Enough

I don't even know how to start this today, so I'll just let it come out.  I'm so angry and fed up at this point.  I'm no longer shocked, I'm no longer sad, I'm no longer surprised.  I'm just fed up and tired of it.

What am I fed up with?  Another senseless shooting and even more senseless people defending their "freedoms".  Two people were assassinated on live TV and the first thing I have to hear is people defending gun rights.



This conversation is no longer and has never been about you.  It's never been about your fucking right to hunt, to sport shoot, or even to own a gun (or ten).  Your greedy defense of the second amendment in the name of freedom means nothing to the two dead reporters, the nine dead churchgoers in Charleston, the twenty dead six-year old's from Sandy Hook, the twelve dead movie goers from Aurora, the endless dead at the hands of police violence, etc. etc. etc.  Your defense of your so-called "freedom" is meaningless, greedy, selfish, and makes you a pitiful and awful person.  I don't care how you feel anymore.  Your feelings mean nothing to the over 30,000 American's killed each year by gun violence.  And that's a low estimate.  So put away the constitution for one fucking second and have a fucking heart.

The next person who says any of the following or anything along these lines...

• "People kill people, not guns."
• "If a person has the intent to do some harm, they'll do it if they have a gun or not."
• "Regulations and tighter laws won't do anything to stop a person from getting or using a gun to commit harm."
• "I'm not doing anything wrong with my guns, why should I be subject to tighter laws?"
• "What's next?  Arresting people who have knives?  Who post pictures on facebook with knives?"
• "Cars kill more people than guns, should we ban cars?  Should we have even tighter rules about cars?"

I no longer want any association with you.  I no longer will try to convince you of your stupidity, ignorance, and selfishness.  30,000 dead every year at the end of a gun barrel is a public crisis and unique to the United States.  And it has nothing to do with you, especially if you can't see beyond your own self.

Why am I so mad about this?  Because its personal.

Let me talk to you about Rey Dorantes, 14 years old, freshman in high school, shot and killed on my block in a case of mistaken identity.

How about Sergio Oliva, 15 year old high school freshman student of mine, shot and killed in a gang dispute.

Let me tell you about Walter Wright, a 17 year old high school junior or mine, shot and killed.  He was lucky to make it to his junior year of HS.

Or how about Julius Campbell?  Or Demetrius?  Or the others that I'm embarrassed to say whose names I don't remember.

Tell me how tighter rules and enforcement of guns matter to their souls or their families.  Tell me the same about the two people murdered on live television today.

If you tell me one more time that more rules, tighter regulations, and gun limits "won't keep guns out of the hands of bad people or off the street", I will lose my shit.  If you tell me one more time how "freedom has a cost", I will lose my shit even more.

And after I do that, I will have nothing more to do with your selfish ass.

p.s.  Sorry about all the cursing.  I'm so angry.

Policy, Values, and the People Affected

Politics = values.  Enacted policies affect people.  Everyday.

Every single decision a politician or political representative makes is representative of a value they hold true.  If they don't state it, it must be remembered that still their policy is reflective of their values.

We can't forget that.  Voters can't forget it, especially when deciding between two very different candidates (i.e. President).

So when Mitt Romney supports a policy of keeping the Bush tax cuts and scrap the medicare tax, what values are he promoting?  When he simultaneously supports a policy of slashing medicare, medicaid, and social security, what values are he promoting?  Who does it affect, and how?

Mitt Romney’s economic plan is of, by, and for the wealthiest 1 Percent of Americans. Millionaire Mitt Romney would give himself a $4 MILLION tax cut, while raising taxes on the middle class and cutting the programs tens of millions of Americans depend on each day.

So we know who his policies affect, but what values are he promoting?  That one is tougher to see.  I think...

(1)  Taxes, the funds that are needed to support the government, are unnecessarily high.  Wealthy people are paying too much and middle and lower class aren't paying their share.  Because...

(2)  The middle class and poor are getting too much help from the government without paying their fair share of taxes.  And...

(3)  The government should not be in the business of helping out the American people and providing for the common good.

(4)  "I [Mitt Romney] don't have enough money.  I should pay less taxes so that I can be richer."

I don't think he'll ever come out and say it explicitly (although he did slip up recently).  But do you want a candidate who thinks the government shouldn't provide for the common good?  That the wealthy should pay a lower share than the rest?  That the super wealthy should get even more wealthy at the expense of the rest?

Do you believe in a government of the people, by the people, and for the people?  One that provides for the general welfare of its people?

Or do you believe in a government which values the wealthy over the rest?

VALUES are important.

It's how we should vote, and what we should think of every time we hear some policy from these candidates.

Remember...

Mitt Romney’s economic plan is of, by, and for the wealthiest 1 Percent of Americans.

PEACE


p.s.  Bonus points if you can name what famous document the phrase "general welfare" appears in without clicking on the link.