Thursday, March 28, 2013

Shame, Shame on Senator Mike Lee (R. Utah)

Mike Lee has signed on to a letter promising a filibuster on any gun safety legislation that comes before the US Senate. This is a disgrace. And shame on any of you who support him in this.

The fundamental human and constitutional right is the Right to Life. Any interpretation of the Second Amendment that ends up with some idea of self-defense or even rising up against the government is certainly secondary (of course, totally wrong as well). As I told Senator Lee whose comment options included "Gun Rights": Guns don't have rights, People do.

Of course I wished I had cut and pasted the email I just sent him to save me a little trouble but you'll get the essence of it here.

I supported Senator Paul and even noted Senator Lee's participation in the filibuster to draw attention to the drone wars. I think that's an important constitutional issue. You can check that here and here from a while back before the 2012 election. But their specific issue was a bit of grandstanding on a hypothetical drone attack on US Citizens within the United States.

Let me tell you about an issue that is not hypothetical. The blood, flesh, and bones of 26 young, innocent children and their dedicated teachers and protectors splattered about an elementary school by a dangerous tool of an assault rifle wielded by someone who never should have had it.

We can discuss what are the best measures to address this, but to oppose any legislative attempt to do so is absolutely shameful! The point being that we are a people who still, for the most part, respect the rule of law. Mike Lee no doubt believes that laws should even reflect our moral values (he is a Utah Republican after all). Whatever we attempt helps us send the message that this use of such a dangerous tool is wrong legally, morally and in every way. The perp was not some hardened, inner-city criminal from Chicago. He was a kid with some problems. His mom had some too.

Maybe it could not have been prevented. But couldn't we at least try instead of raising our guns in the air as some sort of Godless celebration of Molech as we continue to feed our children to fiery slaughter? The message needs to be sent to all you responsible, God-fearing, gun owners out there that this will not be tolerated. We know it is only a few depraved minds who commit such crimes. But they are encouraged by your celebration of weapons of death as some kind of sacred right for problem solving. And this is morally wrong.

Please contact Senator Lee and tell him to stand down.

Here's the email link. And his phone numbers:
Washington, DC:    202-224-5444
Salt Lake City:        801-524-5933
St. George:             435-628-5514

4 comments:

  1. Hear, Hear! People need to calm down and think through both sides of this issue (any issue for that matter). The problem with this country and why nothing is accomplished in government (aside from corruption) is people will absolutely not try to see the other side, and people don't want to compromise. The mentality is "us versus them". And " I am right and everybody else is wrong".
    People get hysterical and start spouting lies and rhetoric without educating themselves about the issue/s and do not think it through calmly and rationally. Unfortunately, where I live the Mormons are some of the worst one's to spread hysteria.

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  2. "We know it is only a few depraved minds who commit such crimes. But they are encouraged by your celebration of weapons of death as some kind of sacred right for problem solving. And this is morally wrong." Not quite right. Based on this reasoning, then, should we also implement no driving until a later, more mature and sane, age to avoid "an estimated 5,419,000 crashes, killing 32,885 and injuring 2,239,000" in 2010? (Wiki Quote); about "100,000 people in the UK die each year due to smoking" (Patient.com.UK); The CDC published that an estimated 34,833 people in 2001 died from cirrhosis of the liver, cancer and other diseases linked to drinking too much beer, wine and spirits. Another 40,933 died from car crashes and other mishaps caused by excessive alcohol use" (NBCNEWS.com); "Each year... an estimated... electrocutions [are] associated with consumer products. The three most common... are [due to] small appliance, power tool, and lighting equipment.
    Every year in the U.S., more than 2,600 people are killed in home fires." (esfi.org); lastly, among many other categories, AAA reports 'at least 1,500 people a year are seriously injured or killed in senseless traffic disputes" (About.com/Crime and Punishment). We celebrate violence, sex, and 'anything goes' for years - the unthinking and non-sensican weapons of guns, knives, ropes, pencils, hands, et al, can never, by themselves, influence whether we are moral or rational beings.

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  3. Thanks, Tom. Your views are well known and now shared here. Readers can judge for themselves.

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  4. Well, golly gee... how so? PS: I note I left out a number beside the word "electrocutions." Would you edit and change to "60 electrocutions [are}...." Thanks.

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