Like everyone else, I'm shaken up by yet another mass shooting. But I have to admit something I don't want to admit - it's something that unfortunately feeds into sociological environment that the NRA has helped create for us to reside in.
I didn't watch the news as much on this one. I heard about it, watched a bit on CNN and MSNBC for a few minutes.
Shook my head, thought, "Damn, here we go again."
Wondered like many others what good it would have done if everyone around the gunmen was armed and woulda/coulda/shoulda shot him Wild West style (knowing what the obvious answer would be, of course).
Then I went back to work.
And then I realized later on just how powerful the NRA really is. I knew they were powerful, obviously. Colorado was but a small instance on their power. A simple law like background checks that the vast majority of citizens INCLUDING NRA members support easily got shot down (no pun intended).
All of this and more is true. But they've made a much bigger power move on something I didn't see coming - they've desensitized me to these mass shootings. Think about that (if you haven't already). Not only have they flexed their biceps and muscled their way onto our politicians and law-making process both on the state and federal level. They've managed to make me pretty much "ho hum" past a mass shooting of 12 more innocent civilians because I feel so incredibly powerless against the NRA. It is a monster that has scared me into doing anything against it in the only way I know how - trying to influence my lawmakers and President to do the right thing.
Because let's face it, they won't, will they?
They fucking won't touch the NRA. That bastard of a fucking organization has scared them shitless too.
I guess all that's left is for me to go buy a gun for the first time in my life. Because hey, what else can I do? Gotta protect myself from these crazies, right?