Get the guns.

I am conservative.  Some of my friends say I am the most conservative person they know.  During the election I probably upset people as I strongly defended my beliefs in the founding values of the country, the free market and limited government.

My friends on the opposite end of the political spectrum have discussed with me at length how government is in place for the whole and especially for those who cannot fend or defend themselves.

And to that, I say, elementary school children are those people.  And this is the time where they need the help of all of us.

I respect the 2nd amendment.  I respect the NRA.  I respect those who respect guns and the power of guns and the right to bear arms.  I do not believe we should take away the right to bear an arm.

I do believe that in order to drive a multi-thousand pound weapon every day and could aim at innocent people, I had to get a license.  I had to take a training course.  I had to be of a certain age.  I had to pass a test.  I had to prove I had practice.  Today there are limitations on when young drivers can drive.  All of this is to say there are limitations to how and when I could drive.  And there should be far greater limitations on the ability to get and use a gun.  The guns used in today’s tragedy were reported to be bought by the mother, dead at the hands of her son, registered and bought legally. I do believe that is a problem.

I lived in England for over 4 years.  I researched statistics and it says that in one year, there may be 63 gun related deaths compared to over 10,000 per year in the United States (consider that to population affect the 63 you would get roughly 300 or so equivalents in the US).  I have plenty to say about the differences between the countries but, quite simply, England is getting it right with guns.

The English hunt.  They hunt a lot.  They hunt pheasant and look great doing it.  To hunt, they use guns.  Americans hunt.  We hunt more.  We hunt deer and elk and sometimes, anything that moves.  And we look like a human road barrel doing it.    And we use guns.

The English have 63 gun deaths in a year.  We Americans have over 10,000.

We have Colombine.  We have Virgina Tech.  We have Sandy Hook.  Sadly.  And embarassingly.

We are the United States of America.  And we are supposed to be an example.  And tonight, we are an example of what no one should ever want to be.  We are a country where elementary school children will wake up and go to school in fear.  We go into other countries to eliminate these fears.  To allow students to get to school.  To further their education.  And to no fault of their own, our own children hear gunshots.  Smell smoke.  See blood.  And run for their lives.

I will not be like an Australian politician who did not quote his source.  I’ll give you my source.

The American President is one of my favorite movies.  I direct you to the 2:20 mark of this clip.  It is one of the first quotes I think of whenever I hear of gun legislation:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3NI5sE3KeY

It is time to get the guns.  It is not about gun control.  It is about gun elimination.  It is about gun extermination.  It is about only having guns available when they need to be available to those who have the respect for the gun, what it can do and when it should be used.  Those who have the training.  Those who have waited for the gun.  Those who know that any lapse in judgment related to the gun can kill.

I am a conservative.  I respect the 2nd amendment and the right to bear arms.  I respect the NRA, but I want their help.  I want my politicians to do the right things.  I want my country to do the right thing.  I want to get rid of the guns.

Now.