Tales of a tabular weapon designed to discharge projectiles

I grew up in a safer South Africa than the one that I emigrated from. As a kid I rode my bike around town every afternoon and my parents didn't know where I was. We left doors open and worried little about electric fences and security gates. By the time I left I had attended more funerals than I cared to; more than any of my Canadian friends have attended. This is not an anti-South Africa post. 

Hijackings and crime became a way of life for many of us. I know few that have not been affected in some way. We would sit at the dinner table and a conversation could conceivably go like this:

"X was hijacked today (no exclamation mark because that would imply emphasis)"

"Oh, is he OK?"

"Yes, but they took the car and his cell phone"

"Oh"

"Shame"

I remember feeling frustrated at the frivolity of our responses to stories like this. We had become numb, immune. Well at least I had. 

When I was about 18 I decided to carry a gun. I was very proud of myself and thought I was a very big man. I went to the shooting range and shot targets but they were made of paper. One day someone asked me if I would be prepared to use that gun to kill someone. Or if I realized that the chances were greater that gun would be used against me. I sold it the next day. Legally. 

There was a mass shooting in the US yesterday. Another one. Apparently there have been 1029 mass shootings in the US since 2012. Messages of "thoughts and sympathy" poured out. I listened to pathetic "meaningless platitudes" throughout the day on CNN. Someone said that this was a wonderful opportunity for change. People are theorizing about whether this is an act of terrorism but doesn't anyone realize that in the broader sense the definition refers to ANY act designed to cause terror? The word has gotten lost in the political arena, at least I think it has. 

I keep hearing that guns aren't the problem, that people kill, not guns. But if this were true, would all drugs be legal?

When something happens often enough it becomes less of an exclamation mark and part of our dinner conversation. I don't care for the politics. I think that everyone is due their own opinion, rights and freedom. 

I think that when 10 people say you are tired, that you should lie down.

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