...If you can read this article, and not blink an eye at the fact that some random - and trigger happy- Joe has access to and willingness to use an automatic or semi-automatic weapon.
Lemme surmise.
Dude in my hometown literally mows down a few of his neighbor's dogs with an AK-47, and initially the meat of this story, though the dogs were killed, is that his only FIRM charge is discharging his weapon within city limits. He *may* be charged with cruelty to animals.
Now, I'm not necessarily anti-gun but I don't see the need of owning an AK-47 in the middle of Abilene, Texas. Especially when your biggest threat seems to be a few neighborhood pets, dogs that witnesses say weren't even aggressive.
My problem, and I think it's a significant one , is that this guy uses this situation (he says to protect his kids from these dogs) to break out said semi-automatic weapon.
I'm guessing if you have an AK-47, you likely have other guns as well. Odds are you don't use an AK-47 to hunt or carry around with you for self defense, you use it to collect.
Yet this guy immediately goes to the extreme to exact the most damage... and the best our law can do is say, "Shame on you for firing your boom-boom stick in the city."
Yeah, I get it. You need to "investigate" to see if the dogs were attacking the children to know whether or not the guy was justified... but still. Spraying animals with automatic or semi-automatic gunfire definitely fits *my* criteria as animal cruelty no matter how you slice it.
So I'm at a loss, really.
Like I said, I'm not anti-gun... but there are many times I am quite dubious about the gun *owner.* Mostly because I don't understand the need to personally own loaded weapons of this caliber. Its purpose is right there in the name. It's an *assault rifle.* Forgive me for being a little wary that makes you quite capable of *assault.*
It immediately gives me pause that this weapon was even allowed into a house with small children, but that's another topic altogether.
A weapon of this sort is a tool of carnage, period. The mindset that would justify its use that you could even buy it - and I'm assuming it's not cheap - just makes me wonder about you as a person.
Yeah, I get it. You ain't messin' around. Kill em all and let God sort em out. Oorah!
Don't get me wrong. I'm not saying I'd never feel the pent-up aggression to want to mow someone down with one of these things if it came to a survivalist situation, like say... oh I dunno...a zombie apocalypse. I can even see myself going all Rambo even if I was just really, really pissed off. I've had my dogs shot at by neighbors with BB-guns just because they barked too much and I was ready to tear their heads off.
*I get it.*
It's a Die Hard world. Yippee Ki-Yay and all that jazz.
But this is Abilene-eff'n-Texas. We're talking seven murders per year for 2008 and 2009. Our murder statistics are 0.67 times that of the National Average. In fact, since our forcible rape stats are 1.67 times the National Average, maybe all the women of this town should be given permanent access to an AK-47... but I'd advise you men to make a mass exodus once a month if we did.
Anything that even hints at the phrase "automatic" means there's not a whole lot wiggle room between "think" and "do."
These are weapons designed for war, and I know some of you think we're in one but precious, we're just not. No one is out to take your guns away and make you give daisies to muggers.
Except maybe Jesus... but that too is another topic altogether.
This means you won! You're more dangerous than the bad guy. Yay, you!
Now the only real question is... how do we know we can be safe from you guys?
Apparently our four-legged friends aren't. Apparently it's fairly easy to go from having a clean record to blowing away neighborhood pets in the space of an afternoon.
I'm kinda of the mind you should have to report that you have these types of weapons. Kind of like the map of sex offenders. Not to say that you're criminals or anything, but I think it's in the public's best interest to know where you people live so we know you're not going to blow away Fluffy for taking a piss on your lawn.
And hey, this scenario works for you too. What better crime deterrent could there be than have it broadcast to the public you're sitting on an eff'n ARSENAL?
See? I'm the kind of liberal who is willing to work with you on this.
I'd just like to understand you guys. Because thanks to news stories like this one... I just kinda don't.
***Update***
The shooter in question has indeed been charged with animal cruelty. The dogs that were murdered were pit bulls (big surprise), and the shooter claims that they were mauling his children, though eyewitnesses say that was not how it went down. The children needed no medical treatment for any injuries, and an investigation is ongoing.***
A footnote... five guns were confiscated from the shooter's house. FIVE. I'm just sayin.
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