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Guns

So, I'm not anti-gun. I understand that people enjoy many different activities that involve guns, and I'm cool with people owning them and using them. I've written about this before... I don't understand the need for a hand gun - unless you're hiking in bear country, or possibly in cougar country, you really don't need a hand gun. Ever. Police? Yes. Military? You bet. Personal defense? Not so much. Long rifles and shotguns I can understand a little better - sports, hunting, target shooting, whatever... Absolutely. Again, the focus is not on the silly idea that you're using the gun to defend your family, but to provide and entertain... Some people even earn a living target shooting, and more power to them...

So when I see things like this:

This Comic Sums Up the Double Standard Used to Excuse White Violence

It makes me wonder a little about the double standard, about the implications or race and gun ownership (shucks, this black kid can't even own a water gun without being labeled a "thug"...)

I'm reading James Michener's marvelous book "Chesapeake" (and highly recommend it, by the way). He talks at length about the mental attitude of white plantation owners in the early 19th century towards blacks. While it's cute sometimes in our post-modern world to point out how silly these folks really were, and note the damage they were doing to themselves and their society, I wonder how far removed we are from such an attitude today. The sad reality is - not really very far, despite all our advances. There's a long way to go.

We don't need a world where race is not an issue - it will always be an issue, and that's not necessarily a bad thing. Differences between people (biologically, ethnically, and culturally) enhance our world and make it stronger, more vibrant and interesting, and lead to a kind of yeasty and delightful recipe in which new and exciting ideas can grow and flourish. Being a certain race changes how one views the world, and it's very important to acknowledge these changes. What we need is a world where these differences can be celebrated, rather than used as a tool to keep people down. We need a place where questions of sex, race, religion, culture, ethnicity, etc are not kept quiet, but are shown for what they really are - differences that enhance and augment our society.

For too long we've lived in a white male dominated society, and I believe that's detrimental to all of us. ALL. OF. US.

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