Big thoughts in a small town....

I grew up in a small town.  My parents and brother hunted as well as many of my guy friends.  I was comfortable around guns...I never felt threatened and in my life, no one abused the priviledge of "the right to bear arms."  I'm not pro-gun.  I understand in other areas of the world, gun control is life or death.  I understand that many hunters and sports people think that those of us that want more gun control are a bunch of liberal hippies who have no idea about their "culture."  I think its foggier than that.  I think hunters and sports people shouldn't have a problem waiting to get a gun.  I don't think that hunters and sports people should have a problem with background checks.  I think hunters and sports people need to stop getting their panties in a bunch.  There is no political party (that has enough numbers to matter) wants to take ALL guns away.  Or even MOST guns away.  I think both parties are pro-gun.  I don't see gun control taking the forefront of any Congress bill or law.  I just don't understand the whole "the forefathers gave me this right" argument.  I think that if you study history at all you'd realize that that's just not true.  The forefathers were coming off of a WAR.  A war where soldiers were housed in their private homes and things were a bit different as far as society goes.  I don't think that waiting to get a gun....or making sure background checks happen is mind blowing.  If you're a hunter...do you NEED a gun right then?  Are the deer and turkey going to run away if you have to wait a day?  Or if hunting season is almost over....maybe you should plan better?  I know this is a topic that people are divided on but I think my position is one that is the best plan for better safety plans in this world of handguns and automatic weapons.  I always used to argue that if you need a semi-automatic to shoot a deer....you need more practice.  What sort of sportsman are you if you need 8 shots to get a deer to die?  Take some lessons.

This conversation was sparked by a comment I made on Facebook about the gun show in my town.  As much as people don't want to link gun shows with lenient laws....they should TRULY do the research.  In Vermont we are lucky to have gun enthusiasts who understand the importance of background checks.....and luckily this gun show has that.  My town has a numerous amount of ex-cons and drug addicts.....I made the point I just didn't think the gun show should take place here.  SOme of my friends made some pretty good arguments....but my point wasn't to debate gun control....I was just making an observation in a town that has enough criminal activity to no longer resemble the Vermont that people think of when they think of Vermont.  Like I said before, I did some research and was pleased to find out that this gun show has some integrity.  It makes me feel a bit safer.

Another argument that I can't stand is the arguement that "every town has these problems....we are not an enigma" even thought most people who say this wouldn't know the word enigma if it jumped out of the dictionary and punched them in the face.  I don't give a shit what other towns are like.  I don't care if "this is the way the world is going.."  I live in New England because of the safety factor.  I have lived in Maine and Vermont because I truly feel that raising kids here is better.  I hate snow.  BUT...I put up with this shitty weather and the depression it weighs on top of me because I want my daughter to grow up with a safe environment.  My town is not a safe environment.  We need to clean the town up.  We need to start by making sure the major isn't making financial gains off of the scum that live in his flophouses.  We need to make sure that we start working on bringing in a bigger employer into the area so that we have less people who have no pride.  We need to have a bigger police force.  Yes, these things cost money....but the people who bitch the most about taxes need to either shut up about the crime rate or pay up.  This is our FUTURE we are talking about.  

I know I'm wound up about this issue.  I think a lot of it is my low tolerance for people who can't see their hand in front of their face.  Another issue is that I feel helpless.  I don't know what I can do.  But I feel that talking about it gets the ball rolling...doesn't it?