This weekend in Houston, Texas, watch what our national idiots will say at the National Rifle Association Annual Meeting, one of America’s most thoughtless and cruel events. Do you think the narcissist Trump, selfishly ambitious TX governor Abbott, or callous Ted Cruz will acknowledge their culpability in the Uvalde shooting?
I don’t.
But the National Rifle Association will host its convention with many treats for its attendees.
If you support the NRA Foundation, you can win a gun.
There will be a “Wall of Guns.”
You can attend panels on lobbying, a leadership forum, and workshops on the challenges of running shooting clubs. You can listen to updates on how to protect your second amendment rights.
Isn’t it time to stop a retail association from exercising political power? In 2016, the NRA spent nearly 50 million dollars to elect Trump and other Republican supporters of “second amendment rights.”
Yes, you have a right to own a gun under the Second Amendment. But what have you not learned from these last two years of deadly shoots in elementary schools, shopping centers, high schools, workplaces, music festivals, churches, rail yards, grocery stores, synagogues, and birthday parties?
America is known as the country of mass shootings. While we make up less than 5% of the world’s population, Americans have a homicide rate 20 times higher than the combined rate of 22 developed countries. We have an average of 10 mass shootings a week.
And why do we need assault weapons? 55% of mass shootings involved a high-capacity magazine. Only 8 states ban these guns. What the hell?
53 people each day are killed with guns in the US. 1 in 4 mass shooting victims were children or teenagers. The response of Texas Republicans is pushing for more armed teachers and police at school. Yep—that will help our nation’s adolescent mental health crisis.
D do we need that many guns in the middle of a mental health crisis? 54% of US gun deaths were suicides in 2020.
Texas is tied for second place compared to other states for the number of mass shootings in the US between 1982 and 5/22. But after almost every mass shooting, Texas legislators continue to loosen gun laws. In 2021, TX Governor Abbot signed a “permitless carry bill” that allows TX residents to carry a gun without a license or permit. Abbott maintains that through his protection of “gun rights,” he has “instilled freedom in the Lone Star State.”
In Texas, guns can be carried into bars and restaurants. This seems like a no-brainer—when has mixing alcohol and guns been a good idea?
Should we have guns in the console of our cars while we carry children to school?
I don’t want to wonder if anyone coming into my psychotherapy office is carrying. I don’t want to say, “I don’t care if you can carry a gun by law. Guns do not enter this office.” I don’t want to hear your whining about it’s a civil right. No. Asshole, you don’t get to threaten me with the presence of your gun in my office. It’s my office. Get the fuck out.
How many more deaths before we do something about guns?
(Statistics from multiple sources, including “Mass Shootings in America” by Everytown Research & Policy, “Dear American gun Owner: When is Enough” by Brenda Hillman, and The Texas Tribune.)