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Saturday, February 17, 2018

2nd Amendment is not an issue or even in question


When my son was six months old, I attended a service for a fourteen-year-old-boy who had died from a gunshot wound. The teenager’s father was a paramedic and the first one on the scene. His mother was a young counselor for troubled teens. His sister was a senior in high school. I will never forget what I saw that day.

Three adults and fourteen young students were killed at a high school in Florida. The why is yet to be answered. The weapon of choice for use in the mass killings was an AR-15. I cannot help but think, what if this were my children? My grandchildren? My great-nephews? A spouse? Could any of this have been prevented?

Up close and personal

Nikolas Cruz, the alleged shooter, is 19 years old. He and his biological brother were adopted by the Cruz family.  His adopted father, Roger, died of a heart attacked several years ago. His mother, Lynda, passed away in November 2017.  Nikolas lived with family friends. Many acquaintances stated he was an introvert, nice quiet person, and there was no indication of something like this every happening.

Yet, Nikolas had behavioral issues and was supposed to be on medication but had not seen anyone for over a year. As a member of Jr. ROTC, he was a member of the high school marksman club and participated in NRA grant sponsored shooting competitions.  He eventually was expelled from school and could not come on to school property with a back pack. Teachers knew he was a potential threat. They had received e-mails about him. Students joked that if they had a shooter, it would be Nikolas.[1] The FBI was notified of a YouTube video that Nikolas had made but stated he couldn’t be positively identified. Furthermore, the FBI was contacted again in January 2018, with information where protocol was never followed. Why was the Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms not contacted as well?  

Local law enforcement stated he purchased the AR-15 legally.

Weapon of Choice

The AR-15 (ArmaLite Rifle) was manufactured in the 1950s along with an M-16. Component wise, they are about the same weapon except the M-16 is strictly for military use. The AR-15 was used in south east Asia and eventually was sold to private individuals. By 1969, the M-16 was fully integrated into the military. When weapons are made, the have to be within the Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (AFT) enforced rules and regulations for public use. The AR-15 was never made with the intention of public sale. Therefore, it was modified differently from the M-16.[2] Some states however, did outlaw it. It is the states who are in control of the gun laws as long as they do not obstruct the 2nd Amendment to the Constitution of the United States. What is the difference between an assault rifle and non-assault rifle?

An assault rifle is classified as a fully automatic weapon and has been restricted for public use since 1934. An AR-15 can be modified to be an assault weapon very easily. As a non-assault weapon, a repeating in fire is a fast as one can pull the trigger. The magazine is generally sold in 30 rounds but 100 round magazines can be purchased.[3] The bullet used is smaller. In comparison, a handgun bullet can be stopped by a thigh bone. An AR-15 would shatter the thigh bone.[4] Simply put one is a knife and the other is the butcher. As of 2016, there is an estimate of five million people in America own AR-15. [5]

Mental Illness

Mental health in this country is a serious issue and one that we should not stigmatize but learn about. I have a mental illness. Yet I would not ever attempt or want to own a weapon like any type of firearm. Why? I do not trust myself with one. It is that simple. I don’t even trust myself to drive. Yet there are more than 43.8 million people (adults) who are experiencing a mental health issue in the United States any given year. 70% of all youth in the justice system have a mental illness and 20% of those have a serious mental diagnosis. [6] Many adults or children will not get help. Why? Shame for one. Companies generally do not want to hire people with mental illnesses. Generally, children have streaks of cruelty toward each other when one is different than the norm. Medical insurance and good facilities are lacking. People with mental health issues, I am do apologize for stating this, should not own a firearm period., It may prevent you personally from ending your life. 

I personally function two to four days a week but, I have to live alone.

The Solution

The 2nd Amendment to the constitution is not in jeopardy. It isn’t even in question. (a) Stop the sales and manufacturing of the AR-15. Grandfather in all owners of the AR-15 to be re-registered within a year. (b) Communications between national and local law enforcement agencies needs to step up some more. Was there an officer at the school in Parkland, Florida? Yes, there was at the time of the shooting, but, he was not able to get to the shooter fast enough. If a student is a potential threat, everyone needs to know. This means students and school officials need better lines of communication. (c) Does the ATF need more personnel? (d) People who put guns in the hands of shooters better make sure they act legally responsible. If they do not, they will be held accountable. (e) All reports of a possible incident, should be investigated without hesitation.

We as a society, needs to do one important thing, remember that the best defense in life is the human brain. Please contact your local, state, and national elected representatives to make some changes. No more band-aiding the issues until it happens again. Have we learned nothing from previous incidents? Fourteen children and three adults are missing from a community. Maybe it could have been prevented. But, from where I sit we all dropped the ball.


[1] Dwyer, Colin & Scott Neuman. “What we know about the Florida School Shooting Suspect.” NPR. 2.14.2018 (accessed 2.17.2018) https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2018/02/14/585908507/what-we-know-about-the-florida-school-shooting-suspect
[2] “AR-15 Rifle”. Gun Owners of America. (accessed 2.17.2018) https://www.ar15goa.com/about/the-ar-15-rifle/
[3] Wegmann, Philip. “Can a bump stock make an AR-15 fire full-auto… yes…” Washington Examiner. 10.03.2017 (accessed 2.17.2018) http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/can-a-bump-stock-make-a-ar-15-fire-full-auto-like-a-machine-gun-yes-and-its-relatively-cheap-pretty-easy-and-completely-legal/article/2636432
[4] Zhang, Sarah. “What an AR-15 can do to the human body.” Science – WIRED. 06.17.2016. (accessed 2.16.2018) https://www.wired.com/2016/06/ar-15-can-human-body/
[5] Schoen, John W. “Owned by 5 million Americans. AR-15 under renewed fire after Orlando Massacre.” CNBC 6.13.2016 (accessed 2.17.2018) https://www.cnbc.com/2016/06/13/owned-by-5-million-americans-ar-15-under-renewed-fire-after-orlando-massacre.html
[6] “Mental Health by Numbers.” National Alliance of Mental Illness. (accessed 2.17.2018) https://www.nami.org/learn-more/mental-health-by-the-numbers

Friday, February 9, 2018

Frosted flakes, Religion, and Politics


I am not a lover of cold cereal. I am not crazy about milk. However, there are a few I really enjoy like Cheerios, Frosted Flakes or Raisin Bran. I really dig Frosted Flakes, bananas, and ¼ cup of really cold whole milk. I really would love the milk if it was really fresh from the dairy cow even more. When you pour the flakes in the bowl, chop up the banana into lots of bite size pieces, and pour the cold milk gently over the top until it is slightly wet… it is perfect! I really like taking my time eating it, savoring every single bite.

After half way through the bowl, I notice the flakes start to wilt and become saggy(soggy) like my old milk powdered breast and big round flat behind that has spread more than a mile with the senior age. Look of cushion for a late middle-aged salt and peppered haired hag. (Okay, I like to make jokes about fast approaching old people, because I am one. The clock gets faster as one gets past 55.) Everything starts to sag after 55 and I don’t care if you cover it up or have surgery it all sags. I feel like General Sherman himself marched across me more than a few times during the Civil War. This southern belle no longer “dings”. It is more like a “dung.”

Well we can view politics the same way my wet and soggy cereal has become. When a politician is elected, they have this viable crunch. The inclination to want to change the broken nationally governed system. About the end of year two, their dreams are drowned and wilted in half the bowl. They just lay there with no crunch whatsoever and very little fruit. We look in that bowl and see what? A soggy left-over mess that still taste good but the crunch no longer exists. It is the end of year one of the Trump administration, and what do we see in the huge dinosaur nation on Capitol Hill? I see two branches of government stuck in the bottom of the bowl but among the soggy. You might see somewhere in there find a crunchy flake or two that is about to turn and drown in that soggy mess. When I think of Capitol Hill, I think of extremely high altitudes where the air is lacking and it is hard to breathe; all of life’s oxygen has been sucked out. Are they the “Walking Dead?” Is this the dark side of the fabled “Zombie Apocalypse?”  

What happened? It didn't overnight. It seems since the “nouveau riche” of the Gilded Age, something has seriously has happened in our country. We have the entitled because dad gave it to us; the entitled because the made it really happen by luck only; the entitled who have a little; the entitled who want because they worked their butts off for it, but didn’t get it; the entitled who want but will never have it because they are lazy in mind and spirit; then, the entitled who are sick or disabled and in most cases just happy to still be living and remembered.  Let’s get one thing straight. What are we truly entitled to? Nothing because we are just ships (vessels) passing through a period of time looking for the guiding light, and hoping for calm seas. The seas of GOD.

Political society is like modern evangelicalism. It truly wasn’t that noticed or participated in America until mid to late 19th century and it grew big in the 20th century to explosive in the late 20th century and early 21st century. 

In history, why did the colonials really come over? Very few were interested (there are exceptions like about six religions total during colonialism). Was it to start a “Nation under God”? (The phrase came about around the 1950s-Truman’s administration.) Guess what, many certainly didn’t come over on the boat with the KJV? It was for free land claims and the popular Bible was Geneva. They really didn’t want Anglican religious control or for that fact any religious control. A few communities started with religious fervor. What happened to them? People just walked off and went into the woods. By the way this is not fake news, but academic truth. I learned this at a public university (BA) and a private high religious university (MA).

Political society wasn’t much thought of unless one was a property owner. As time progress, political society was bitten somewhere by a rabid animal. 

Here it is 21st century and what is happening? People are retreating from Washington DC into the woods. Stale and fresh human minds are leaving quickly the hill. Why? It is because, since the Gilded Age, political life in America are showing signs of the rabies disease, mainly foaming at the mouth. In the many words of the sense, I too see modern evangelism foaming at the mouth as well.

There is a hardening of the arteries in the true sense of faith and politics in America. They have become so intertwined it is unreal. I do not want religion in government nor to I want government in matters of religion. How dare political society want to dictate my faith! 

I do not have faith in my neighbor; I do not have faith in my community; I definitely do not have faith in those who govern. I have faith in GOD ALONE and Jesus, incarnate. That faith in GOD and Jesus (incarnate) dictates my hope through his grace in my neighbors, community, and those who govern.  

So, when I see a grandstand of people at a prayer breakfast with the president the first thing that comes to mind: Use of emotional religious matters to control the people of a nation. This is nothing new. During the mid-industrial period in America, religion was used to control the workers by many industrial capitalists. They felt religion would make many a drinking Irish immigrant behave publicly, be more productive with less drinking or morally illicit acts. This was when? About the Gilded Age period.

With the enhancements of modern technical communications, religious politics seems like a rampant diseased of psychological warfare. 

Your faith is not between one’s country and you. Your faith is only between you and GOD.  

The Son is the radiance of GOD’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven. (Hebrews 1.3)

We cannot share our faith because it is only between you and GOD. You can share hope through his grace and you can share the written word because your personal faith dictates your actions. Do not let anyone use your personal faith as a tool against you for control unless they are GOD.


GOD bless each and everyone.