Gun Control & Raising Better People

The local newspaper headline (Pocono Record) today ran something like this: Pocono Politicos Run for cover (over gun control issue).  You see this is a ‘complicated,’ 2^nd Amendment Issue and in order to maintain their elected status, and not ‘piss off’ a constituency, they have to be careful.

How come to some body like me this issue is pretty straight forward:1) Come up with a plan that limits how many guns are available and 2) put more energy into raising ‘better people;’ who will not become deranged and do terrible things. Also, get all the people in our greater society, not to tolerate this violent behavior on any level, which includes showing violence on TV and video games; and making sure every sick person is treated.

Your argument is going to be that this plan somehow limits personal freedoms. Come on now. Give me a break. As a society we haven’t reached this level, collectively, where we  all are mature enough to use these freedoms in a way that doesn’t harm others. Job number one: get everyone to the level, where they don’t harm self or others, and are mature enough to use their personal freedoms. Also, help create a society that will not give rise to this behavior. Limiting guns alone will not solve the problem of violence.

This is something I wrote on 8/9/12, about raising better people, and it is even more applicable today as our law makers debate what to do about gun control.

Rising Above Our Lower Nature

You can talk about gun control

And limiting violence on TV.

You can advocate for good mental health services,

Foster better parenting skills, and war against sexual exploitation.

You can fight to eliminate hunger, violent video games,

And raising people’s awareness to help refugees in trouble.

You can raise security at airports and schools

And hire more police to protect us;

All of these are worthy causes.

Yet, when is the discussion going to turn

Toward how to raise better people, all across this planet;

Who care for themselves equally as they do others.

Collectively when are we actually going to feed the hungry?

Help each to have a safe home,

And humanely care for the sick and dying,

Treating our brothers and sisters as our selves?

Condemning and eliminating those societal forces

Who worship money, and take power through destruction and greed.

Yes, the ills of this world are created by people

Who seek to serve their own lower need.

This is pure greed, selfishness and self interest;

Create better people who think of others as themselves,

And these problems will not be tolerated.

The only real future for the human race

Is to act as mature human beings

Who love and care for each other.

As a planet, we must be in the business of making better people

And support all enterprises that truly have this as their goal.

Collectively this must be our Great Work;

A planet of loving, caring and helpful people

Who rise above their own lower nature

And reach toward the heavens, clasping their neighbor’s hand.

-SB