No. More. Guns.

Good morning, Thursday. I was going to tell you about my fav new jewelry collection today (you'll see it tomorrow) but needed to riff with you on something else instead.

I don't like to talk politics but I have strong opinions and I can't help myself. e As the events in Washington unfolded yesterday regarding gun control, one thing became abundantly clear to me. In all of my years on this Earth, I have never once needed a gun. I have managed to get married, have a career, pay my bills, and maintain reasonable health without one. In fact, I can't think of one instance in my life that requires a firearm, and I bet you can't either. Now I know to some I am some sort of bourgeois  city dweller peacenik, but I'm like the rest of you- I love this country, I am all for freedom, and I appreciate and respect our President. But unless you are living in an era where we need to hunt and kill our food to survive or are looking to recreate the wild west, YOU DON'T NEED A GUN. FULL STOP. And according to recent polls, 90 percent of my country folk agree with this, so WTF?

What I can't abide by is a government that is so short sighted and dismissive of what this country wants and needs because some insane freak show gun lobby is more powerful than not only our desires as a people, but our safety. Sure if you are a business owner that needs protection, well then have that. Hire a security guard or police officer to stand watch over your establishment. And if you're still in the camp that protecting your precious property means having a gun in your dresser, then you need your head examined. As we know, having a gun in the house is a stupid enterprise if you have children, and do I really need to mention how many horrible tragedies could be avoided if people who shouldn't have guns didn't? How is this even still on the table?

You don't need a gun to be a good citizen. You don't need a gun to be a good neighbor. You don't need a gun to be a good husband or wife. You don't need a gun to be a good father or mother. You don't need a gun to go down to the 7-11 and buy a bag of chips. You don't need a gun to do anything these days except to hurt people or animals, and that shit is just not cool. And for all of you literal types out there, the Constitution is an outdated document that was created before we had electricity, modern plumbing, and women's right to vote, among other things. THE WORLD HAS CHANGED. There is no reason our Constitution should not evolve to reflect that- I'm not going against its protection of free speech and some other freedoms we have all enjoyed for the last 200 and some years, but come on. If you want to still interpret the Constitution as a document that applies to our lives now, I suggest you go shit in an outhouse and then go churn some butter. In the dark.

I'm tired of America pretending we have better values than anyone else- the world has changed  and we as a nation need to change. How on Earth can we keep empowering groups like the NRA? What do they provide that is of use to anyone but a bunch of old white guys? Because no matter what you think, unless you are a police officer or security guard, you don't need a gun. We have always been a country and a people that goes against the grain, that makes up their own rules and embraces a rebelliousness that has made us all prosper. We have said no to persecution, unjust rules, and we have fought for the rights of people throughout our history. So why can't we rethink this gun thing and completely reboot the system? Am I being naive? I don't think so. And it's because I love this country that I say all of these things- there can't be another Newtown or Columbine or bell tower college rampage. I pray that this fight is not over, and we as a people need to speak out and make sure that simple things like background checks don't get (forgive the pun) shot down by a governing body influenced by a bunch of lunatics. And for those of you reading this and thinking "maybe you should just leave then", I'm not opposed. I'm so disappointed in this country and embarrassed by our ignorance. Because in my book, there's simply no reason for any of us to have guns, and I'm sticking to that. Cause that's what's up this let's rewrite the book kind of Thursday in the 212, which, by the way, has some of the strongest gun laws in the USA. That's the kind of government "protection" I don't take for granted. XO