Last week, my son and I were having one of those meaningful conversations that seem to only happen in the car on the drive from school to home. Last week, the discussion was on guns, gun violence and the latest that happened in California.
My son is 14, and sometimes he doesn’t recognize that not everything is black and white. Most mother’s tell their children they can’t talk about religion and politics in good company. However, growing up with a do-gooder lawyer father and me, those topics are always up for discussion. We especially bring up the gray areas, and note that not everything is black and white. I discovered that that is becoming more and more difficult to do when it comes to gun violence.
He now asks me what I think, and I explain that I feel like something has to happen and I’m frustrated nothing has happened. More and more people will die, he says. He’s right. The evidence is clear. I mention that I’ve been to shooting ranges and have enjoyed target practice. I’ve known many hunters and understand the use of guns in securing food. But then, in the car, my Nissan Versa’s motor humming along heading south on Oracle Road, I hear my son sigh. He says kids brought a gun to his school recently, but luckily it was handled before anything happened—ongoing school reality since Columbine. How sad, I think, about my son’s sigh and how lucky he is to not always be bogged down by looking at the gray area. Perhaps he’s right.
Perhaps most things in life need to be looked at as black and white.
Something needs to happen, as he says. On Sunday, Dec. 13, the Tucson contingent of Arizona Moms Demand Action, an anti-gun violence organization, is meeting at the Safeway at 7110 N. Oracle Road to mark the third anniversary of Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting that left 20 children and six teachers dead. I don’t know what to say to my son anymore. I love our car conversations. I suspect they will never end. I worry we will continue to talk about gun violence and that I will continue to hear him sigh. But perhaps, since showing up is what life is all about, this walk organized on Dec. 13 is a place to start. Organizers ask participants to wear orange. It starts at 1 p.m.
We will walk—and maybe we will see you there.
— Mari Herreras, mherreras@tucsonweekly.com
This article appears in Dec 10-16, 2015.
It is to think of the possibilities total gun/weapon ban or free open exchange and carry. Both seems to be the pinnacle of achievement for both groups. We see wild elaborations on both sides from the teacher @ La Cima middle school who brings a weapon shoots herself then blames it on handy gang affiliated actions by an Hispanic. Then we have the brazen bolstered ego and social position by some that carry a gun. We just had a guy with his concealed carry on the prowl for law breakers AHH a beer thief stole even a case run him down probably detoxing and shoot and kill him as a public service. We have so many disenfranchised from society and it’s “MULTI CULTURAL DIVERSITY” each group isolation from social infection and wanting to tilt consideration in their favor.
I am a descendant of John Moses Browning a Mormon pioneer stock. As a family they don’t endorse citizen patrols like Joe Arpaio can you imagine going to a scene of a crime scene unfolding with weapons fired gong down the street and 60 people running around with weapons looking for the bad guy what a nightmare. If I was a Deputy I would be reluctant on how I would approach such a scene solutio we need more Deputies carrying weapons. Both my Uncles Brownings and were paratroopers on D day both to this day are pacifists and against gun regulation and against everyone owning a gun. It seems they know both war and how their neighbors think.
There are ways no internet sale of any kind of ammunition PERIOD this means to police and military included. No reason to have enforcement buy their own weapons it that happens immediate release from service. Not allowed to own a automatic weapon of anykind from a gattling to an falix and all between. No cartridge weapon allowed all have to be internal single feed weapons.
The above fascist would have you believe that somehow most military vets oppose gun rights and personal gun ownership, this is of course a lie. I have seen what it is like to be unarmed and helpless , I have also been shot twice and severely wounded. I have killed, I have watched my mother hold off a home invasion when I was five with a rifle and a handgun. Guns are a right , the supreme court has ruled so. If you don’t like guns move to anther country . Mike Sternberg US Army RET
I am so tired of people using the argument, “guns kill people”. No, people kill people. It is a right to own a gun, not a privilege. Us as Americans have the right, given to us by The Bill of Rights. I do feel gun safety is important. I grew up in house that had several guns. My father never had to lock them up. We were taught gun safety and knowledge.
Criminals will always find a way to get their hands on a gun. Period. We could do all the screening and background checks one desired, but that still will not help.
When it comes to children: well that’s gun safety, but most importantly we should be talking to them about the reality of evil in the world. Stop blaming guns for EVIL HUMANS. Stop blaming race for EVIL HUMANS. Stop blaming religion for EVIL HUMANS.
You tell Rafi he’s right. Guns kill people. The NRA is a bad business. People who shoot guns for fun need another hobby. I’m suggesting paintball. If we’re interested in self defense, we should arm people with pepper-spray and fire extinguishers. Teach them all the great arts of distraction and escape. Teach them to call 911 when they see a problem … as they run far away as possible. My 2 cents. Please pass it on. Rafi’s right. We need to stop deluding ourselves that guns are okay.
Run away Linda? Tell that to the disabled and elderly? Or allow another San Bernardino? Go ahead and give up your gun rights. I’ll protect you.