I am so tired that the answer to all things in the United States is violence. On top of that, the violence always seems to involve guns. How did we get here?
It seems like the birth of our country involved a grand adventure. Gold was discovered out west and suddenly ships docking in San Francisco could not depart. The crews were abandoning ships to go find gold - gold that was supposedly on the ground for easy pickings.
Meanwhile adding to the westward expansion was Horace Greeley writing in the New York Daily Tribune on July 13th of 1865. Greeley wrote "Washington D.C. is not a place to live. The rents are high, the food is bad, the dust is disgusting, and the morals are deplorable. Go west young man, go west and grow with the country."
Thus was born the Wild West, a period of time from the 1850's to the 1910's. The west was filled with romance, anarchy, and chaotic violence. Writers old the stories of Wyatt Earp and his brothers, Billy the Kid, Doc Holiday, and the OK Corral. Disputes were resolved with gun fights and young men grew up practicing their quick draw. There grew a philosophy of individual guns and personal independence.
When I was in high school, I studied the Roman Empire. This was a period of time that if you were a Roman citizen, you were safe in the world. I read a series of books that told of daily life in Roman times described in a real way. I haven't found anything written that does the same thing about the old west. It was tough. It did not seem it was very safe to be a woman. In the end, as the west was 'civilized' we had remaining a culture of guns.
The United States leads the world in gun violence. Mass shootings have become commonplace. I can't believe I just wrote that but it is true. The horrifying aspect is that if you advocate controlling the violence you are threatening gun ownership. I think we can have both - less violence and responsible gun ownership. It continues to be a trigger point for so many. Meanwhile another gun incident occurred that just doesn't make sense.
I don't have any clue how to work with this! It takes me back to spirit; I still believe it is impossible to harm another if you can look into their eyes. I believe we can live with our independent authentic voice filled with spirit with guns and without violence. But what do I know! I get confused by the whole thing. I'm reminded of someone who wrote "I may be a dreamer but I'm not the only one.........."
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