I love OUR President

After the verdict was read in the case of the shooting death of Trayvon Martin many people were understandably hurt, outraged, crushed, and shocked. What upset me most and kept me up at night was the idea of riots. I knew how much the media was circulating the possibility of riots after the verdict. I felt they could be pushing it to the point of being a self-fulfilling prophecy. Thank God no one took their bait. I hoped that after the public heard Trayvon's parents plea for peace in the wake of what I and many others believe to be a great miscarriage of justice. I saw something rather pointed yesterday I am not sure if I can share their name so I won't but they posted to facebook, "The majority of people who believe that George Zimmerman should be not guilty would care much more about the sanctity of Trayvon's life if he had still been just a fetus." It is sad but frighteningly true point. 

Anyway back to the riots that never happened: I had no real concern of rioting before the news media started spouting their riot theories, where they would happen, to what degree, would this mean a race war?!?! How fucking irresponsible. I have to say I can't help but feel like those are dangerous and negligent ideas to be putting out into the world. Thankfully people understood that more violence is not the answer. We have to find some way to change our world. We have to. It has become so ugly and hateful and divided. People are so hung up on who is right and who is wrong that these grudges begin to run deeper, the hate flies back and forth and we poison ourselves and our children with negativity. We need to teach love. We need to teach respectful disagreements. We need to teach every person the value of a life and how no matter your gender, religion, sexual orientation, race you are worthy of respect and there should be no reason for you to fear your neighbor. I don't know how to do that in a world that is so backwards.  We have got to stop killing each other. It is so easy to pull a trigger and impossible to make up for permanently removing a human being from this Earth. I beg you all to stop the killing. 

I know people are so touchy about gun laws and restrictions but they are so necessary especially right now. I had to fill out more paperwork to adopt a dog than I did to buy a FNH FXP 9mm. It came with three 10 round magazines. If I had each magazine loaded and one already in the chamber, if I am a good shot that is potentially 31 lives that I could take. The scary thing is you just have to trust that I am responsible, and sane enough not to ever attempt such a heinous act. I'm sorry but I just don't trust my fellow Americans enough for that idea to sit right with me. And the backwards logic is because I can't trust other people not to be psychopaths I own one. Don't get me wrong it is terribly fun to go to the shooting range. I do sleep easier knowing that it is near by. The thing is if they weren't so damn easy to get I wouldn't have to worry about nut bag up the street who orders guns and ammo online and has enough to supply his very own militia in his basement. We need better gun laws, we need stricter punishments for people caught with illegal firearms, those that aren't registered. If you are a felon convicted of a violent crime and you are caught with a gun you get 10 years min. Felony sex offenders you get 15. Institute an anonymous government buy back program for illegal fire arms. If we can find enough money to wage wars we can spend it to protect our own people. Oh and I mean education, and healthcare too. If we took better care of our people there would be less competition for survival more opportunities and less stealing and killing. People don't fall into a criminal way of life because they want to, or it seems fun, it's because they don't see any other option to provide for themselves or their family. 

But after all that rambling THIS IS WHY I LOVE PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA, "The death of Trayvon Martin was a tragedy. Not just for his family, or for any one community, but for America. I know this case has elicited strong passions. And in the wake of the verdict, I know those passions may be running even higher. But we are a nation of laws, and a jury has spoken. I now ask every American to respect the call for calm reflection from two parents who lost their young son. And as we do, we should ask ourselves if we’re doing all we can to widen the circle of compassion and understanding in our own communities. We should ask ourselves if we’re doing all we can to stem the tide of gun violence that claims too many lives across this country on a daily basis. We should ask ourselves, as individuals and as a society, how we can prevent future tragedies like this. As citizens, that’s a job for all of us. That’s the way to honor Trayvon Martin." 

Well said sir. I couldn't agree more. Now let's stop being selfish, petty, fear mongers and change out country. Lay down the guns and pick up someone in need of kindness, generosity, love, friendship. If I sound like a communist, socialist, hippie well then I guess that's me. I guess I am selfish because I don't want to fear for my future children. I don't want to be afraid of the poison they eat, drink, breathe. Or the equally destructive poison they see, hear, and feel from their brothers and sisters. Mother Teresa said, "If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other." I want a beautiful safe place for my kids because I never want to feel what his parents felt when someone took the law into their own hands and made a decision to end his life. I don't want to live in fear for my kids. Because man pulling a trigger is easy but you can never put back the pieces. I don't think anyone realizes how permanent death is.

I will leave you with this, a member of Trayvon's foundation said ,“Trayvon Martin cannot rest in peace if there’s not peace in our streets,” and advise you to, “raise your voice, not your hands.”

An eye for an eye only ends up making the whole world blind.
-Mahatma Gandhi