I was trawling the internet today and came across the following article:

AN OPEN LETTER: TO THE PARENTS OF THE VICTIMS MURDERED BY ELLIOT RODGER

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By Joe “The Plumber” Wurzelbacher

I’m not talking here about the three tragic murders Rodger committed by stabbing before his driving and shooting spree; I speak now only to the families of the gunshot victims in Santa Barbara:

It’s a tragedy.

I am sorry you lost your child. I myself have a son and daughter and the one thing I never want to go through, is what you are going through now. But:

As harsh as this sounds – your dead kids don’t trump my Constitutional rights.

PIK: I don’t buy this justification for a second. Before the 1967 Referendum in Australia, and the repeal of Section 127 of our Constitution, murdering an Indigenous Australian *could have* been deemed as damage to flora and fauna. Not all people might have supported this change at the time, but those people had their Constitutional right to think of them as ‘sub-human’ or unequal removed.
We changed, America. You have no excuse.

Richard Martinez, whose son (Christopher) was among the murdered, choked back tears at a news conference, blaming politicians the next day: “The talk about gun rights. What about Chris’ right to live?” Martinez said – and much more.

There are no critical words for a grieving father. He can say whatever he wants and blame whoever he’d like – it’s okay by me. You can’t take a step in his shoes – at least I can’t.

But the words and images of Mr. Martinez blaming “the proliferation of guns”, lobbyists, politicians, etc.; will be exploited by gun-grab extremists as are all tragedies involving gun violence and the mentally ill by the anti-Second Amendment Left.

Guns are a facet of American society that requires regulation. Not everybody owns 50 guns, but the regulation and protection of human life is the primary function of the law. Therefore, America is caught between a rock and a hard place; guns have physical ‘scare power’, whereas the law does not have similar impact. While enforced, they are guidelines for people to live their daily lives. So the function of the law cannot be extended beyond verbal and mental retention. Guns are culturally, familial-ly and constitutionally entrenched. There is no way to prevent attacks like this; legally or culturally, in the US.

As a father, husband and a man, it is my responsibility to protect my family. I will stand up for that right vehemently. Please believe me, as a father I share your grief and I will pray for you and your family, as I do whenever I hear about senseless tragedies such as this.

I can understand the protective function of guns. I would like to point out that Nuclear weapons also were thought to have protective function in World War Two [by President Truman] and during the Cold War, the USA and the rest of the world have not made these illegal [despite Chemical and Biological weapons — gases and diseases — being deemed internationally illegal in 1972]. The Security Dilemma seems to be “I can’t give up mine, because other people have them, and I need to protect myself”. Trimming weeds on the surface is not going to stop them growing back, the problem will simply proliferate, making it harder to ‘root out’ the issue. The US is past the point of no return with guns and ‘Nukes’.

We still have the Right to Bear Arms and I intend to continue to speak out for that right, and against those who would restrict it – even in the face of this horrible incident by this sad and insane individual. I almost said “Obama Voter” but I’m waiting for it to be official.

I noticed the mainstream media have stopped the practice of immediately reporting the psycho maniac is a conservative Tea Party Republican Christian. Guess they’re sick of having to hide being wrong every time when it comes out the whacko votes Democrat?

Case and point. It starts being about guns, but then it turns into snipes about who Americans vote for. It becomes a politician’s issue over the moral and legal issue that it is.

I understand this man’s want to protect his ‘right’, but I wonder how many more people it will take to die.The role of politicians has very nearly become devoid in the USA. Joe is not a dumb man, he sees the greater good, but being of right wing-conservative political orientation, he does not want to change his way of life or thinking; he is prioritising his self-interest over the greater good. Everything is subjective.

Mr. Martinez and anyone calling for more restrictions on American’s rights need to back off and stop playing into the hands of the folks who merely capitalize on these horrific events for their own political ends.

Capitalisation and Politics [gun lobby] is the exact reason why the American Constitution will never be amended. Politics have been capitalised, and the integrity of the American political system is irreparably damaged.

Perhaps the US is the pot calling the kettle black whenever it condemns any other killings [like in China] when they cannot control their own domestic issues in relation to guns?

They don’t care about your family or  your dead children at all. They sound like they do, whereas I sound uncaring and like I say, harsh. Don’t be fooled – I care about your family and mine. The future of our very liberty lies in the balance of this fight.

Joe has articulated himself impressively in this letter, I must say.

The worst possible outcome in any situation is the loss of innocent life. There are Geneva Conventions and Rules of War internationally agreed upon for when nations battle each other. 

But what of domestic politics? The UN has no power in domestic affairs. And that is where our heartbreak comes from — gun deaths in the US, ‘show trials’ in China, stonings and honour killings in Pakistan, kidnappings in Nigeria, sexual violence attacks in India and PNG; to name just a few.

In conclusion, I cannot begin to imagine the pain you are going through, having had your child taken away from you. However, any feelings you have toward my rights being taken away from me, lose those.

Human Rights and Constitutional Rights have some how become the same thing in the US. A Human Right is the Freedom of Security, to feel safe, to have functional Government  who upholds the Rule of Law and safety of its citizens. Guns are a commercial novelty, whoever wants one, may buy or apply for one. The Constitutional right to bear arms was a product of a different time, a different America. 

Sincerely;

Samuel Joseph Wurzelbacher

PS: To the parents of Elliot Rodger’s stabbing victims: I’m very sorry for your loss. I’m sick to death every damn time I turn around and some poor soul with obvious violent mental sickness is allowed to exact this kind of pain on a family.

Elliot Rodger deserved help, yes – but your child deserved so much more. I’m very sorry and sad for you.

I do not believe it was PURELY a gender-based crime, or PURELY based on Elliot’s self-entitlement or hatred. The poor kid had an evident inability to cope. I’m sure lesbian women and homosexual men, as hetrosexual people have, killed other people because they “didn’t love them”. It is just sad that he was so young, that he couldn’t communicate, or feel like he could communicate with anyone about any issues he was having. He misunderstood the whole game of genuine attraction in my humble opinion. If he wanted sex, he could have bought girls, he was rich, he had the money. In his manifesto he resents his own context – being rich, and feeling withdrawn. I personally, and friends have all endured this question of “Why am I not considered attractive?” it is a fairly common lament. People have it at every age. But I know of noone who resorted to sickening violence.

He is to blame for his own crime, but it is a crime which represents a deep misunderstanding and saddening lack of coping mechanisms.

 

Read more at http://barbwire.com/2014/05/27/open-letter-parents-victims-murdered-elliot-rodger/#K1u9ygXr0hv3qKey.99

 

What Did I Think?

Well, you get the idea.
I respectfully disagree with Joe.

I think politically, culturally and socially, gun reform in the USA will never take place. They are beyond the point of no return and there will be another massacre before the year is out. How it sickens me to concede that.
I think even more fondly of John Howard’s decision to toughen gun laws after the Port Arthur Massacre. He did the tough thing, but the right thing.

The USA had their President, JFK, assassinated by gun shot [gosh knows who by!], his brother RFK, and Ronald Reagan had an attempt made on his life. They probably aren’t the last either. The death of a President and the death of innocent citizens is clearly not enough motive for gun law reform.

Sad times.

I encourage you to read an reflect upon Michael Moore’s words– HERE!

Hope you enjoyed reading as much as I enjoyed writing, and as always, thoughts are welcome!

– PIK