Monday, January 21, 2013

Inauguration

Yesterday the NRA and Illinois State Rifle Association rallied more than 200 of their supporters to jeer, boo, and heckle the speakers and disrupt a panel discussion that was titled, “Guns and Public Safety: Where We Stand After Sandy Hook.” Today I heard the President of the United States recite lofty praise for the noble character of the American people. It is hard to reconcile yesterday with today.

Perhaps the President believes that by appealing to people's better natures he will move them towards showing respect for one another. Little respect was shown yesterday, not even for a man as he was telling about his son being gunned down at work. The crowd kept shouting as the slain boy's photo was shown on the screen. As another of the speakers talked about feeling compassion for the family members whose loved ones have been shot, the crowd continued to shout insults. I doubt the angry gun owners who were at yesterday's public forum will be moved by the President's speech. I doubt they will listen to it without screaming at their televisions. Actually, I doubt they bothered to listen.

It is hard to tell how small a portion of our populace seethes with the fear, anger, and hatred that we saw in the audience yesterday. They want us to think that they are the majority. I doubt it. We would have already come apart as a country if most of us were that crazed.

The influence that these people have is not to be denied. It should be denounced. The President, in talking as if they weren't among us was probably trying to deliver a speech that would be looked upon by history as noble and visionary. That's what most presidents aim for. Maybe painting a picture of America as it can be is all that they can do. I hope our president doesn't forget that the image he created is not accurate.

The NRA and its supporters do not embrace dissent. They do not tolerate divergent opinions. Their mode of discussion is imbued with the same violence that their weapons promise. Yesterday, they wouldn't even agree that babies shouldn't be slaughtered. These people, who think that their guns are more important than other people's lives, do not seek common ground or reasonable solutions. They see public discourse as something to be disrupted. After yesterday's meeting, the NRA congratulated its members for doing a good job of sabotaging the public forum.

I do not think that our President is unmindful of what is happening in the country. He had to deal with the haters and obstructionists throughout his first term. Had he been at yesterday's forum, he wouldn't have been surprised by what went on. I don't criticize him for pronouncing a vision instead of reporting on reality. I am just disappointed that he was not able to find a way to confront the destructive attitudes that are frustrating his efforts to lead us forward.

It's wonderful that our president can still look upon the world and talk about marching towards a better tomorrow. But it's about time he turned to the rabble and told them to stop throwing rocks. It's time we all did. Then we would see just how puny they are, and their influence would be diminished to be proportionate to their ranks.

9 comments:

  1. You are an out of touch elitist. What you saw yesterday was everyday Americans who did not attend Harvard yet are intelligent to understand what the Constitution really means rather than what out-of-touch elitists would LIKE it to mean.

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  2. It's not easy for people to stay quiet when their rights are being attacked with nothing but emotional arguments and lies.
    Nobody wants to see kids murdered, , I don't understand why you think that banning metal objects will do anything to prevent that.
    We are looking for real solutions, not the fantasies you and your panel members were espousing.

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    1. You also can't complain about being heckled if the first thing you do is equate us with criminals and neo Nazis.
      I'm from the Netherlands and its beyond offensive.

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  3. "These people, who think that their guns are more important than other people's lives, do not seek common ground or reasonable solutions"

    That's simply a lie. Absolutely no one wants to see children die.

    Gun owners repeatedly hear about 'reasonable solutions' and know from past experience exactly what that means. If reasonable solutions were really on the table, we'd be discussing the revolving doors of our justice system and actually punishing criminals and getting mental help for those that need it. Instead, the left starts with banning inanimate objects that require human interaction to do harm. The Clinton era ban did nothing to slow down crime according to the FBI, why waste more time on the same "solution" when we know the results will be the same?

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  4. Lee, I find it funny that you cant comprehend the simple fact that illinois has no concealed carry laws, and has the toughest gun control laws.... And we still have the most murders in Chicago of any city. If you think we need more laws for criminals to ignore, or that those criminals don't already carry guns because they don't have permits, then you sir are a sad sad man. You have good intentions but bad ideas. More laws, restrictions and attacks on America's constitution will not work and will be met with opposition just like Sunday.

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  5. You Sir, are throwing rocks at us. We are defending ourselves, defending our rights, and weather you would like to believe it or not we are also defending YOUR rights. He who lives in glass houses throw no stones.

    I went to the meeting but could not get in. I heard through the grape vine your son was murdered. As a father, this truly saddens me. However your personal quest to rid myself of my firearms is misplaced blame. I did not murder your son. Leave my rights alone.


    You suggested that the 2nd Amendment has no place in our society in this day and age. As our war veteran pointed out, the 2nd Amendment has a place in all time, as necessary to a free state. Some may argue that we have a standing military, where as back in 1776 we did not. However we need protection from the very people who wish to take our rights away. Protection from Tyranny.

    I bet the Jewish peoples in the 1930's didn't think it would happen to them. Sadly they were mistaken. John F Kennedy, though admittedly not the best spokes person for gun rights, said it best, "By calling attention to a well-regulated militia for the security of the Nation, and the right of each citizen to keep and bear arms, our founding fathers recognized the essentially civilian nature of our economy. Although it is extremely unlikely that the fear of governmental tyranny, which gave rise to the 2nd amendment, will ever be a major danger to our Nation, the amendment still remains an important declaration of our basic military-civilian relationship, in which every citizen must be ready to participate in the defense of his country. For that reason I believe the 2nd Amendment will always be important."

    The 2nd Amendment WILL ALWAYS BE IMPORTANT.

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    Replies
    1. Mr. Kral, you heard wrong. My son is alive and well.

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    2. Sorry for my error. Glad to hear it! Like I said previously, I was refused entrance.

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  6. Funny how the attacker lee goodman likes to act as the person being attacked. Spoken like a true progressive. Funny while you stood by all those attacking Bush for every misspoken word, and every sideways glance, you herald the rein of Obama. You reports and blogging are rediculus and you sir are a Hack, journalistic integrity is gone. Pure activism is the game now.

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