NOW HEAR THIS: If pencils caused misspelled words

Viewpoints

The Democrat welcomes comments. Inappropriate language or comments outside our standards will be removed. No guest or anonymous comments allowed.

December 30, 2012

NOW HEAR THIS: If pencils caused misspelled words

Anonymous Weatherford Democrat The Weatherford Democrat Sun Dec 30, 2012, 01:56 AM CST

By LARRY M. JONES

In the wake of the Newtown, Conn., tragedy there has been no aspect of this horrific insanity that has not been examined, debated and argued. Not unlike our overall polarized society, opinions are greatly divided on both cause and remedy of this gun-related tragedy.

A few years back, ex-White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel was quoted as saying, “Let no serious crisis go to waste.” While he may have been among the first to actually say it, this tactic has been used for years by politicians to quickly ram through contentious legislation. Seeing such a golden opportunity, President Obama quickly jumped into Air Force One and hurried to Connecticut to deliver a gut-wrenching message of condolence to the grieving survivors.

For the president, along with his pro-government followers, the obvious solution is more gun control. The “gun” is probably the most vilified, demonized and regulated object in the world. For many in our populace who are unfamiliar with firearms, they see them as evil instruments of destruction, possessing no value to the average citizen. Many would like to see firearms in the hands of civilians completely outlawed, with the Second Amendment stripped from our Bill of Rights. I do not share this sentiment.

While firearms possess the capability to inflict great harm, many other things are equally very dangerous. One of the most notable is the automobile. Total numbers of deaths attributed to each are comparable, but I’ve read that if suicide deaths are not included, the automobile is far more deadly. The gun becomes an easy villain because it is less vital to the daily lives of many Americans. A gun alone is no more dangerous than any other inanimate object such as a pencil. Placed in the wrong hands, it becomes a disaster waiting to happen.

I have seen it suggested in various forums that perhaps we are focusing on the wrong aspect of the gun-control debate. Instead of putting the firearm in the crosshairs, let’s look at the people who are using them. A greatly disproportionate number of those involved in the mass shootings of recent times have had a history of mental illness. Almost without exception, most have been on mind-controlling prescription medications. Many of those who would have been institutionalized decades ago are now placed on medication and returned to mainstream society. I would tend to believe that as funding for mental health facilities and treatment has been slashed, the incidence of such senseless violence has increased dramatically.

Although I have never been fond of the military M-16 look-alike assault weapons, to blame such weapons for the recent tragedy is asinine. We have to look no farther than our neighbor to the south, Mexico, and see how well that nation’s strict gun control curbs gun related violence. In a similar vein, on the same day as the Connecticut shooting, 22 students and one teacher were violently stabbed and slashed in a Chinese school, even though there was little media attention here.

Another political witch hunt demonizing guns is not the answer to controlling the propensity for violent behavior in today’s society. While many would not agree, I believe that we would be better served to focus on which individuals are qualified to own firearms rather than which firearms millions of other law abiding citizens may or may not own.

Larry M. Jones is a retired Navy commander and aviator who raises cattle and hay in the Brock/Lazy Bend part of Parker County. Direct comments to nowhearthis@pwhome.com.

Text Only

Viewpoints

NOTES FROM THE JOURNEY: Survivors are heroes, too
Recently, we attended the production of two one-act plays at Weatherford College, both under the excellent direction of Nancy McVean. The first, entitled simply “New York,” was set in a Manhattan psychiatrist’s office shortly after 9-11 as 10 different patients who had either been present at the Twin Towers or had lost loved ones in the disaster came seeking solace. Each survivor struggled with their own grief and internal conflict as the doctor listened and tried to help.

May 24, 2013 1 Photo
TISIONE: We worship the triune God
Many Christians recently celebrated the feast of Pentecost, which is sometimes called Whitsunday. Pentecost as you may know was celebrated in the Old Testament. The Bible refers to it as the Feast of Weeks. It was ordained by God to be one of the three mandatory celebrations in Israel along with Passover and the Feast of Booths.

May 24, 2013 1 Photo
Honor Flight Fort Worth – the trip of a lifetime
WOW! What an experience! I have done many things, been to many places, but I must say that the Honor Flight ranks right up there with the best of those occasions.

May 24, 2013 1 Photo
Letters to the Editor – May 23, 2013
America is being destroyed by voter fraud and the buying of votes by the followers of Karl Marx.

May 23, 2013
CNHI EDITORIAL: Seizure of AP phone records an insult to independent press
Distrust of government secrecy has been elevated to an exceptional level with the disclosure the Justice Department covertly examined two months of Associated Press phone records to determine who leaked details to the AP about a foiled terrorist plot.

May 19, 2013
NOW HEAR THIS: ‘What we’ve got here is a failure to communicate’
This famous quote addressing communication failure is a classic line from the 1967 movie “Cool Hand Luke,” starring Paul Newman. Strother Martin, who played the role of the warden in a southern prison, would use this phrase every time he gave Luke a good whack with his baton. The concept resonated so well with moviegoers that it was voted No. 11 of the 100 all-time favorite movie quotes according to the American Film Institute.

May 19, 2013 1 Photo
Letters to the Editor – May 19, 2013
Do you remember the “MISSION ACCOMPLISHED” sign that the personnel on the USS Abraham Lincoln displayed to greet President Bush when he went out to greet them?

May 19, 2013
Guest opinion: Campaign with honor
All politics is local and personal! I hope that you and your family have a wonderful summer, filled with relationship building experiences and times of relaxation. As you do all the things that re-charge us for the next round at work and involvement in community and political activities, let’s reflect on the 2013 local elections for a moment.

May 17, 2013 1 Photo
TISCIONE: Woe for calling evil good
You don’t often see “woe” used in an article. It’s a word that has fallen out of usage in our day. But it’s a word that ought to be understood and taken seriously.

May 17, 2013 1 Photo
Letters to the Editor – May 17, 2013
As mercury pollution threatens our waterways and carbon pollution-fueled climate change worsens extreme weather, we need someone in Washington who knows how to get things done.

May 17, 2013
More Viewpoints Headlines

If you are a registered voter in the Weatherford ISD, and either have voted or plan to vote Saturday, are voting for or against the proposed $107.32 million bond?