America’s Misguided Truths

Really America do we have to have this conversation again.  How many times must I remind you that your age old truths may be outdated today, that what you believed yesterday needs to be modified to fit what is needed today.  So let’s try this again and please prepare yourself because it will be nothing nice.

Let’s break down a few of your so-called truths that are really only selfish excuses not to do better or take responsibility.  The first is the rash of police shootings.  Now on the surface, it appears to be between two or more people but that is not the case.  It has long been a growing fantasy of those who seek to control other sections of society and are failures at controlling that one person whom they were entrusted to control, themselves.  We saw this coming quite some years ago and a few warned us then but the majority was too busy with our heads up our own butts while the rest was still trying to get our heads out of the sand.  I was a good cop and I take offense at being lumped into the group with those who are not only unprofessional but arrogant and self-loathing.  You want to fix this America, begin at the top and don’t stop weeding until you have gone through the entire crop.  There are good cops among the bad just as there is good wheat among the chafe.

Next how about this young nine year old girl who shot and killed her instructor on a gun range in Arizona.  Some have gone after the gun range owner, some after the instructor but trust me when I say that there are plenty more blame to go around.  For the gun range owner it was all about money because he used the excuse of “had their not been a market for 9 plus year old shooting automatic weapons, we wouldn't be doing it.” Sometimes you have got to follow your gut and a little bit of common sense, sometimes you have got to say no, not here, not in my house. 

For the instructor it’s as simple as where he was standing.  You should always stand behind the shooter to give yourself ample time to take control of that weapon if the shooter loses control.  None of that happened before the instructor activated the weapon or made sure that the shooter was set.  That was the job, he failed now do we learn from this or repeat it? 

For the parents who approved this nine year old girl shooting an automatic weapon.  Understanding that at nine years old not only do you not have a bucket list but you cannot be in a position to know exactly what is prudent.  When do you stop being your child’s friend and start being the parent?  Saying “no” to things is good for a child.  If you believe that your child should be able to handle an automatic weapon at that age fine, it’s your choice but be prepared for years of therapy like this young girl will have to endure.  Giving this child what she may have asked for has now opened her up for years of therapy, this could not possible be what those parents planned for?

So America, don’t be so quick to assume that your truths are valid today as they may have been yesterday.  Truths change as situations change and if you are to remain truthful, you must change too.