I’ve only shot a gun a few times in my life, so I don’t understand the appeal. I wasn’t attracted to toy guns, playing cowboys & Indians, or even war games. Guns are dangerous, especially in the wrong hands, and that has been proven once again in Uvalde, Texas. The death count is now at 19 children and two adults. It took place in an elementary school where people should be safe and was the deadliest since Sandy Hook in 2012. Just before the mass shooting, the 18-year old gunman allegedly texted a teenage girl about his intentions to attack and authorities report that he shot his grandmother. 

Gun lovers will say that this is an isolated case of a gun getting in the hands of the wrong person. My contention is that anyone who owns a gun has to take responsibility for this horrific incident. Yes, I’m well aware of the sport of hunting, but this is equally cruel. At least, it’s justified by putting food on the table. I also know about the 2nd Amendment that was written in 1791, two hundred and thirty long years ago and am familiar with the bumper sticker saying, “if you outlaw guns only outlaws will have guns.” Self-protection is important and a Constitutional Right but the laws are not strict enough when an 18-year old psycho can walk into a school with a loaded weapon. According to Education Week, 27 school shootings have taken place already this year. Ten died in Buffalo less than two weeks ago. Over 200 mass shooting have been reported in just under five months. 

I lived in Texas for seven years so I understand the culture. Bachelorette parties, for example, involve going to the ranch to hunt. Kids are taught to use guns as soon as they can lift one. In most cases, they never get formal training, claiming they came out of the womb packing, and guns go to  college so that students can conveniently hunt on the weekends. I was shocked over how frequent and casual the conversations were about guns. I also remember my early days in the advertising business back in Indiana and Don’s Guns, whose cavalier owner and spokesman claimed, “I don’t want to make any money folks, I just love to sell guns!” If I had it my way, nobody would own a gun – they scare me!

Compromise simply isn’t working, while other countries have had success with reform. The NRA is apparently too powerful and our politicians suspiciously reluctant to legislate change. Sometimes it takes someone not in politics to point out the insanity that dominates our current situation.  Steve Kerr, the head coach of the NBA’s Golden State Warriors was openly emotional, angry and frustrated in a recent press conference that was supposed to be about basketball. 

“When are we going to do something? I am tired. I am so tired of getting up here and offering condolences to the devastated families out there. I’m tired of the moments of silence. Enough. … So I ask you, Mitch McConnell and all of you senators who refuse to do anything about the violence and the school shootings and the supermarkets shootings — I ask you, are you going to put your own desire for power ahead of the lives of our children and our elderly and our church-goers? Because that’s what it looks like. That’s what we do every week. I’m fed up. I’ve had enough. We can’t get numb to this. We can’t sit here and just read about it and say let’s have a moment of silence.”

I agree – the only shooting that should take place is on a basketball court.