The Right just cannot CONTROL themselves

Amongst all the chaos that our great but imperfect human race stirs up, there is, for sure, lots to say and complain about. No shortage of points on which to take a stand, voice an opinion, or "strike a pose." When some debate, however, reaches the watered-down-to-death point of insanity, certainly the sane among us must scream out. Can we, however, inject sanity into the insane? Can we use logic to sway the illogical? Can we rationalize with the irrational? Well, we can sure as hell try. We must, mustn't we?

We have, of late, watered down our all too recently impassioned debate over gun control in our fine land. Mere moths ago, in the wake of unthinkable tragedy, we were committed to real change. Common sense had, briefly, made its way into our national discourse on the matter. Progress was all but a foregone conclusion...

Enter the NRA, the radical right, and gun manufacturers. All three added together (sort of like saying all penguins, flightless arctic birds, and fast-swimming birds added together) making up a relatively small portion of "we, the people." A force, nonetheless, with which to be reckoned.

This force, in fact, was able to completely change, not only the winning and losing side of the debate...but also the debate itself. In just a few short months we went from "ready to pass real change in gun laws and make many weapons and magazines illegal" to "do we really need background checks?" Are you kidding me??!!

It's no joke, though. The "Christian" right gun-lovers have managed to convince our "representatives" that it is just too much to ask to have a waiting period for background checks on every gun bought or sold. The small number of insane among us have convinced leaders of both parties to ignore the 80% - 90% who would otherwise approve of such common sense legislation. And, in so doing, have somehow managed to also cloud their thinking enough to render them stupid.

Case in point: The pet argument of this small group of radicals speaks to their shock and dismay about even the thought of a background check interfering with the "handing down" of a cherished family weapon to a son or a nephew or a grandson. To which the "left" impishly replies: "We can certainly exclude family gifting of guns."

However, as is too often the case, this is just another example of the senseless changing the way the otherwise sensible argue. These family transactions being exempted should NOT be the point of retort. In a sensible, rational, thoughtful world (one in which we are far from living), the appropriate response would be: "Cletus, if your son or nephew or grandson cannot pass a routine background check, then our country, and our country's law abiding citizens, and our country's innocent, defenseless children do not want him having a gun."

A big wish, sadly, for a small bit of sanity.

long-awaited approval by NFL Dinosaurs

I am not gay...

However, were I, I think I would today be feeling immense relief and long-awaited validation. It's been reported in the sports news over the past several days that the rigidly- and blatantly-denied acceptance of gay men in NFL locker rooms might be creeping toward an end.

Wow! Gay men everywhere must feel such great relief to know that this critically important social barometer is about to sway in their favor. I mean, what more does any man (or woman for that matter) need than to know that his sexual preference may no longer be found off-putting to a collection of steroid-filled, overly-aggressive, grossly over-paid half-wits? (I'm being generous with the "half" credit.)

The reporting on this phenomenon is the only thing more despicable than the idea of it's existence in 2013. To cheer or even acknowledge the dragging along of dinosaurs into what has been for some time a commonly-swam pool of progressive belief by a majority of the rest of society is ridiculous. Would we be equally excited, even giddy, about a group of Neo-Nazis finally relaxing their hatred, just a bit, toward peoples of others races or religions? I think not.

To report on this without including commentary on how insane it is to be reporting on it is borderline criminal. I mean, are they serious with these stories? Is there some carefully-hidden sarcasm on which I'm not picking up?

Well, since there is no lack of ceremonial praise and accolade directed at the collective NFL playership, I guess I should join in by offering this: "Bravo to you, near majority of NFL athletes! Kudos for almost, just barely showing the same level of forward-thinking, rational, and progressive moral judgement that the average eight-year-old has been able to grasp for decades. Your example of "acceptance" should pave the way for countless unborn generations...(were those countless generations to be born in Eighteenth-Century Pakistan ;) )"

In the wake of the tragedies in Columbine, and Arizona, and Aurora, and Newtown, and in the wake of all of the smaller tragedies too numerous to find their way into national headlines, all any of us with sense need do is listen closely to those without sense. If we watch and listen intently, we will find as much reason in their words and actions alone to stay resolute in our efforts to, once and for all, introduce even a small bit of sanity back into our culture. We are starving for it. We need not explain ourselves, or justify our actions, or excuse our curtness. Arrogance combined with insolence combined with ignorance shall no longer make us reconsider, or defer, or concede. It is enough. It was enough ten days ago. It was enough ten weeks ago. It was enough ten years ago.