I guess the massacre has affected me more than I thought.
I think it has to do with the fact that the violence hasn’t stop not only against the LGBT community but also in general. The headlines still talk about shootings, about violence and it seems like have the population wants more violence.
It is the feeling of helplessness. When I worked to pass the non-discrimination law and the birth certificate law I felt that I was making a difference but now I feel like no matter what I do hate wins.
I feel like we are returning to the Wild West. People are arming themselves and I there is so much had in the world and that is a dangerous combination. The drive of the car that cut you off, is he armed? The student that you flunked to not doing his homework is he armed? Your car broke down at night and you are afraid to knock on the door for help because they might shoot first and ask questions late.
I have no problem if you want guns to protect your life and house. I have no problems if you go hunting or you like to go to a firing range.
What I have a problem with is high capacity magazines and assault rifles. There is a video that is being circulated on Facebook showing how fast you can change magazine clips, the video claims that it makes no difference what size the magazine that smaller magazines can be changed fast enough to shoot as many rounds as a large capacity magazine. But they had all the magazines laid out on the top of a barrel.
What I have a problem with is open carry. I do not understand why people want to walk down main street or go into a restaurant with an assault weapon over their shoulder. What I have a problem with is “Stand Your Ground” laws; the victim never gets their say because they are dead. Trayvon Martin never got to say his side of the story. In Connecticut the use of deadly force can only be used as a last resort except in your home.
I cannot understand the line of thought that “good guys with guns” can stop a bad guy with a gun. There have been research done showing that civilians do not have enough training to react in a crisis. I posted this on Facebook,
Wouldn’t had been better if you can’t buy the gun first than starting a shootout in the first place?
I don’t know why violence is increasing. Some say it is because of the violence video games. Some say it is because of the “war on drugs” and others say it is because politics is becoming so polarized while others say it is because of the media glamorizing violence. And other say that it is because guns are a big business.
I don’t know why the violence has increased I just know that something meaningful has to be done. If that doesn’t work then let’s try something else until we find the key. What I do know is that I do not want to go to anymore vigils.
Let the first step be background checks for all gun purchases, ban large capacity clips and assault rifles.
I think it has to do with the fact that the violence hasn’t stop not only against the LGBT community but also in general. The headlines still talk about shootings, about violence and it seems like have the population wants more violence.
It is the feeling of helplessness. When I worked to pass the non-discrimination law and the birth certificate law I felt that I was making a difference but now I feel like no matter what I do hate wins.
I feel like we are returning to the Wild West. People are arming themselves and I there is so much had in the world and that is a dangerous combination. The drive of the car that cut you off, is he armed? The student that you flunked to not doing his homework is he armed? Your car broke down at night and you are afraid to knock on the door for help because they might shoot first and ask questions late.
I have no problem if you want guns to protect your life and house. I have no problems if you go hunting or you like to go to a firing range.
What I have a problem with is high capacity magazines and assault rifles. There is a video that is being circulated on Facebook showing how fast you can change magazine clips, the video claims that it makes no difference what size the magazine that smaller magazines can be changed fast enough to shoot as many rounds as a large capacity magazine. But they had all the magazines laid out on the top of a barrel.
What I have a problem with is open carry. I do not understand why people want to walk down main street or go into a restaurant with an assault weapon over their shoulder. What I have a problem with is “Stand Your Ground” laws; the victim never gets their say because they are dead. Trayvon Martin never got to say his side of the story. In Connecticut the use of deadly force can only be used as a last resort except in your home.
I cannot understand the line of thought that “good guys with guns” can stop a bad guy with a gun. There have been research done showing that civilians do not have enough training to react in a crisis. I posted this on Facebook,
I was just reading comments on a website that was calling for mandatory back ground checks, a ban on assault weapons, and ban on large capacity magazines.As someone commented on this said, “And in this case, it was all supposed to happen in a dark, loud, crowded chaotic scene where folks had been drinking. So.”
Commenters were saying if "good guys with guns" were there they could have stopped him.
So let me get this straight...
Bad guy with gun starts shooting.
Good guy #1 sees the bad guy with gun and pulls out his gun and starts shooting at bad guy.
Good guy #2 with gun sees Good Guy #1 shooting and starts shooting at him.
Good guy #3 with gun sees Good guys #1 & #2 with guns and the Bad guy with gun and starts shooting at them all three of them thinking they are all bad guys with guns.
Police officers come in and see Bad guy with gun, Good guys #1, #2 and #3 with guns shooting and fires at all 4 of them thinking they are all bad guys with guns.
Now how is this supposed to be better?
Wouldn’t had been better if you can’t buy the gun first than starting a shootout in the first place?
I don’t know why violence is increasing. Some say it is because of the violence video games. Some say it is because of the “war on drugs” and others say it is because politics is becoming so polarized while others say it is because of the media glamorizing violence. And other say that it is because guns are a big business.
I don’t know why the violence has increased I just know that something meaningful has to be done. If that doesn’t work then let’s try something else until we find the key. What I do know is that I do not want to go to anymore vigils.
Let the first step be background checks for all gun purchases, ban large capacity clips and assault rifles.
Yes and I do not after over 50 years of fighting for our rights want any more hugs or tears from straights or anyone else. The long winded politicians please go back to your chambers and get something done. We don't need anymore of your speeches. Religious leaders go back to your houses of worship and talk to your people, you should know where to start. Leave us alone to live our lives. AND I do not want so called non-elected LGBT community leaders speaking for me. Bring back the open mic for all to speak. These folks are leaders in their own fields but that is all. One gets tired of hearing the same old same old over and over each time there is an issue. We need to hear it from the Tans community and hear it again. They are attacked all the time around here now. No one can speak for them but them. No one can speak for us but us! We need fresh thought and fresh blood. We need our elders to speak, we need to hear from the young. We need a new direction. To our non-elected leaders in their respected fields go back and see what you are doing wrong. What can you do better? Somehow this repressed gay man slipped through your cracks. I too need to find out where this old, communist, non-american, non gay mainstream queer fits it to this. What do I have to offer at this late stage in my life?
ReplyDeleteWe do not need anymore wrong roads. Just think if we had fought for a strong inclusive ENDA bill for our whole community rather than the right to be married for only a few. (this was mainly run by white elitists who somehow convinced so many that what they desired was what we all needed. Yeah right, tell that to the young black trans woman on the street.
One thing we can not do is run, hide or live in fear, get depressed, feel there is no way out and we can not lose faith in our movement forward. Things were damn bleak way back in the day when I was young and gay ( or should I say, a sissy, nellie, faggot,pansy) 1963 was not all that great of a time for us.
Diana, continue your great work. Lot's of love and respect to you. What put me at odds with the mainstream L & G movement over the years is my assistance that the Trans and Bi community be included. I lectured time and time again, if all of us can not have our rights than honey I do not want mine. I learned quite a bit from Sylvia Rivera back in the old days.
One solution is, Okay the 2nd amendment. But it says noting about taking away the bullets. I really don't think that amerikkkans are sane enough to carry guns.
I know I went a bit off subject but I am pissed off about all of this.
I think that we all are pissed. Every time you read a newspaper or turn on the news it is always someone who got shot, life has become too cheap.
ReplyDeletePeople do not know how to settle their differences without violence.