Do Guns Belong On Holiday List?

by Frank Harris

"Guns don't shoot by themselves — this I know.

Invariably, there is some finger attached to a hand attached to an arm attached to a body and within it a beating heart and a human mind — whether sober or sane, crazed or in pain — that leads to the big boom, crack or bang that sends a bullet or two or three or more hurtling toward the target.

Sometimes it is justified; sometimes not.

Whatever the circumstance, I was stunned to see the gun advertisement on the back cover of an insert in a New Haven newspaper. On the front cover were the words "holiday gift guide" featuring pictures of DVDs, CDs, toys and apparel.

On that back cover, however, was a full-page ad for handguns, complete with list price, sale price and "4 high capacity magazines PLUS $50 cash back with (a) mail-in rebate."

Topping it off was the illustration of a gunslinger sporting a Western hat with two pistols in his hands. But lest we worry, there were these comforting words just above the name of the gun center that placed this festive ad: "Guns for the Good Guys."

Ah, that makes me feel good. Only the good guys will get these guns.

But good guys are not good all the time. And even if they were, there are those bad guys who wind up with the good guys' guns in their hands through thievery or a cold, hard transaction. (Because good guys like money, too — even if the money comes from bad hands)."

Poor Frank is either unaware that the very first gun laws were attempts to disarm uppity blacks, or IS aware and has sold out his people for an all expense paid ride on the liberal gravy train. Western hats. Pistols. Gun ads. They all scare Frank. A lot. Means that an awful lot of people are capable of defending themselves against the robbers and rapists and murderers. Also means that certain people who cannot legally own a firearm might very well be tempted to steal them from those who can. Now dammitall, Frank, it isn't my fault that your folk commit the most crimes and kill one another like its going out of style, but it is your fault if your fear convinces even ONE black man or woman from owning the means to fight back. Shame on you for making me do all the heavy lifting while you bury your head in the sand and play make-believe.