A Culture of Violences

Yesterday I talked about a White Plains (NY) County Board which decided not to allow a Gun Show at a county property.

The original news source had this to say:
Democratic Lawmakers Send Gun Show Ban Bill to Full Board | The Examiner News:

The lawmakers argued that hosting the show would promote a culture of violence and the glorification of firearms on taxpayer-financed property. 

Having had some time to think about this statement, I decided that I was personally offended by the opinions of the "New York Lawmakers".

They are a small coterie of professional politicians who are sufficiently glib to be elected to public office.

I am a a man who was drafted to go to Viet Nam and serve my country, at the very real risk of my life ... because I was drafted.   I did not volunteer to serve, but I was threatened with prison judicial penalties if I refused to meet the requirements of the politicians who ran my country.

Politicians Just Like Them ... who likely never served (like Bill Clinton, who dodged the draft due to Political Influence).

I, and many others like me, were obligated to kill people whom we had never met, and against whom we had no personal grudge.  The reason?  THEY were officially designated as "The Enemy".

Who so designated them?

The politicians who rule our country, seem to have the judicial permission to determine which violence is appropriate, and Just..   And many others; those who advised our rulers.   The Quiet Men, who made our decisions for us, and sent too many of us into our own private Hell of Conscience.

That's who.

Now these same Lawmakers (or their descendents) are again identifying your enemies, and asking telling us who we should hate, and how to deal with them.

It probably seems like "A Small Thing" to those who have not found themselves obligated  to obey the dictums of "our betters"; but to those of us who served, albeit unwillingly, it's not a small thing at all.

At all.

First they tell us to kill, in service to our country; then they tell us not to kill, in service to our own lives and that of our families ... when we are attacked.

I don't know about you, but I am confused.

What is "A Culture of Violence"?

Is it that which we are trained, by governmental mandate, to perform in service to our country?

Is it that which we are inculcated to perform, in service to our family?

When Elected Officials say that Americans who are trained to kill, cannot kill someone who threatens our family, I wonder how I can trust their judgement?

Or whether I should trust them.

Is it possible that they do not have a sense of proportion?

Or do I no longer have a sense of proportion?

...

I have no inclination to harm anyone.
I've done it, it is distasteful, and I don't want to feel that way again.


But at the same time, I know that I would protect my loved ones.
It's not a matter of "Right" or "Wrong"; it's just a matter of that they are my family, and I have an obligation to protect them ... because I can.  And would.