More Than A Gun

Posted on by beautybeyondbones

My heart is shattered today at the news of the pure evil demonstrated last night in Las Vegas.

My prayers and deepest sympathies are with our hurting nation right now, and especially the victims and their loved ones.

pray-for-las-vegas.png

I’ve been hard pressed to peel myself away from the news to write this post.

The level of atrocity and horror that is belching across our television airwaves today is enough to make you want to build a bunker and not come out until the second coming.

There was one thing I was not expecting today though: and that’s what I found when I scanned social media today.

Screen Shot 2017-10-02 at 6.31.14 PM.png

Honestly, I have been so sickened at the response by much of the public – and much of my Facebook newsfeed.

Instead of calls for prayer and compassion for the victims of the shooting, there is outcry for gun control reform.

Instead of numbers and addresses for blood banks to donate the vital lifeline so desperately needed in Vegas right now, there are email addresses and phone numbers to “flood” our congressmen and women about gun control.

Instead of comforting bible verses or religious images, there are political cartoons, using the pain and tragedy of others to parody and promote their stance on gun violence.

Instead of sorrow, and compassion, and empathy, there’s rage and outcry and defiance.

And it is disgusting.

Now is the time when we need to be uniting, offering compassion, seeking peace and offering prayer and support.

The behavior on display today by much of the public is nothing short of a disgrace.

Almost as bad as our athletes kneeling during the national anthem.


I wonder what those athletes, protesting police brutality, would have to say to the plain clothes, off-duty police officers who stuck around and risked their lives at the concert, directing people to safety, shielding people with their bodies, and willing putting themselves in harm’s way, all for the protection of strangers.

I wonder what they would have to say to those first responders who – in ten minutes – blasted down the hotel door of a known gunman with automatic rifles and went in, coming face to face with almost a certain death, to save others.

I don’t want to get into anything political. Not today. Not ever, really. So I’m going to just let you come to your own conclusions on that.

But in response to the uproar of gun control opportunists, selfishly using this tragedy for their own political agenda, I have just two things to say.

First: shame on you. Have you no heart? Really.

Secondly:

Guns are not the problem.

There, I said it.

It’s not the guns: It’s the person pulling the trigger.

It’s mental illness.

As a survivor of anorexia – a mental illness – I will be the first to tell you, that mental illness is the absolute culprit behind the destruction. – Be it inflicted on others, or in my case, on oneself.

It doesn’t matter if the weapon is a gun, a box cutter, rented trucks, homemade bombs, anthrax, or food– the weapon does not commit the crime: the person does.

Just ask 78 pound, anorexic me. I was using food – or rather, the lack there of — as my weapon to destroy my own life.

It was the mental illness. And I had to go to inpatient treatment to literally kick the demons out of my life.

A man who would calculatedly open fire on a helpless, innocent crowd of people from a perfectly located hotel room, 32 floors up and two football fields away is mentally ill.

And as a result, there are thousands of people who are left in the carnage, both physically and mentally.

And I agree: rapid fire, automatic weapons – like machine guns – should never be in the hands of anyone, other than the members of our armed forces and law enforcement officers.

But it is a pretty naive view to think that gun laws will keep guns out of the hands of bad guys.

It’s a tough issue. And what about other weapons? What do we do about mentally unstable or brainwashed people seeking to acquire fertilizer or other ingredients to make homemade bombs, or renting a truck to drive through a crowd? What are we to do then?

What price are we willing to pay in loss of freedom and privacy to reduce threats at the hands of mentally unfit people?

How far do we go as a society? It is a messy and complicated issue.

But right now, in the wake of this ghastly episode, our focus should be on one another. On the hurting. On the healing. On the hope.

Not on furthering one’s political agenda.

I was going to close in my own prayer for this nation, but I was so moved by President Trump’s remarks today, that I’m going to let his words take us out tonight.

And regardless of your opinion on our brazen leader, I invite you to read his sincere words with an open heart.


“In times such as these, I knew we are searching for some kind of meaning in the chaos, some kind of light in the darkness. The answers do not come easy. But we can take solace knowing that even the darkest space can be brightened by a single light and even the most terrible despair can be illuminated by a single ray of hope.

Melania and I are praying for every American who has been hurt, wounded or lost the ones they loved so dearly in this terrible, terrible attack. We pray for the entire nation to find unity and peace, and we pray for the day when evil is banished and the innocent are safe from hatred and from fear.

May God bless the souls of the lives that are lost, may God give us the grace of healing, and may God provide the grieving families with strength to carry on. Thank you. God bless America.”

***Thanks to everyone who has ordered my books, Bloom: A Journal by BeautyBeyondBones and “My Blogging Tips”***

Click here to order your copy!

img_5013________________________________________________________________
Stay Connected!

@beauty.beyond.bones – Instagram

Facebook

Twitter

YouTube

A big thank you to my sponsor, BetterHelp Online Therapy.  Speak with an online therapist. Or check out content about eating disorders from BetterHelp.

Next time you’re shopping on Amazon, be sure to use my link! Doing so is absolutely FREE for you, and a great way to support this blog!

patreon

Thank you for considering supporting BBB on Patreon! You make this blog possible 🙂

img_6039

 

Published by

Unknown's avatar

beautybeyondbones

BBB: Because we're all recovering from something. // For speaking/business inquiries: beautybeyondbones@yahoo.com

498 thoughts on “More Than A Gun”

  1. It too angered me this afternoon when the media began harping on gun control! When did political interest supersede compassion? Thank you Caralyn for a poignant post, filled with compassion. Thank you any reading who risked your lives. Thank you, Lord, for those who risked everything; please bless and comfort. Please be with health care providers and strengthen them. Dry their tears. Be with those who’ve lost, those who’ve seen and heard too much, those with shattered hearts. They need you. They need your comfort in ways I can’t fathom, but you do. May they see your tears, and know they aren’t alone. Become more real than the nightmare replaying in their heads, please. Please heal our land. In Jesus’s name, amen.

    Liked by 3 people

  2. I agree with much of what you said but I don’t think some of these people posting about gun reform are heartless. I don’t think they should be ashamed of themselves. I think they’re thinking about Columbine, and Orlando, and Sandy Hook, and every other tragedy that guns have been used to commit, that caused no reform afterwards. You are absolutely right that people kill people, not guns, but how easy it is to get these guns is appalling. And keep in mind, I’m a gun owner, I’ve shot an assault rifle many, many times, my ex fiancée was a soldier and we owned many weapons. So I’m not anti-gun by any means. But in my state it is literally easier to buy an assault rifle than it is to get the license to conceal carry it. Something is really backwards about that. I do think there needs to be greater restrictions on the weapons themselves, maybe they should have required registration and insurance like cars do, who knows. And most of the pro-gun people I know tend to agree once they get past the “You can’t take my guns” crap. No one wants deranged people to have access to weapons. It’s just logic.

    All those people posting about gun reform, a large majority I think anyway, are trying to find a way to stop this from happening again… and again… and again, because it DOES hurt them. Because they’re dealing with that hurt by trying to find a solution. Some people pray, some donate blood, some sit at home and cry, some push for legal reform. We all have our own ways of coping with tragedy. Maybe that’s theirs. Just food for thought. Besides that, my heart along with many others is with all those effected by this terrible tragedy and I pray they find peace and healing going forward. This is a really tragic, terrible thing and I’m sure we’ll be feeling the effects of it for a long time to come. 😞

    Liked by 9 people

    1. Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts. Yeah I guess I was a little on the dramatic side there. Gotta keep that in check. But seriously thank you for joining the dialogue. Lots of powerful food for thought here. Hugs and love xox

      Liked by 1 person

      1. I have my dramatic moments too lol. When I get caught up and emotions are running on high? I can definitely be a bit dramatic and occasionally go too far. I read this post and so much of it was valid and good. I just think we can all benefit from remembering that we all cope in different ways. My dad for instance, was distraught about this all day. It effected his very real, off Facebook life and demeanor and eventually he had to just go to his office and read for awhile so he could turn off his mind and take a breath. He was one posting about gun reform. I think it’s just good to keep that in perspective. We’re all so different, so as hard as it may be, judging one another should be the last thing we do. Hugs and love to you too love. Thank you for sharing your thoughts with us as always.

        Liked by 3 people

    2. Thank you for this wise comment which embodies much of what I thought and felt upon reading this post. This post is very political despite writer’s insistence that it’s not. This post draws attention to the divide between us in the US instead of what unites us. I think I might unsubscribe which is too bad considering I’m a long time reader. This one hurt. So much judgement.

      Liked by 2 people

      1. Hi friend, I’m sorry that this post disappointed you. I did not mean to come across as judgmental. I think you can attest from my prior posts that that is not who I am. I am open to all opinions and perspectives, and I welcome an open dialogue. As I said in the piece, it is a very complicated issue, and I don’t pretend to have the answers or the “right” position. I seek to open up a dialogue to hear all sides of the issue. One of the powerful things about comments is that everyone comes to the table with different backgrounds and different perspectives that we can all learn from, and I am definitely grateful to hear everyone’s points of view, especially if they are different from mine. I think a conversation is healing and can lead to understanding and unity as a nation, which we so desperately need right now. As for my words, judgement was truly was not in my heart when I was writing this, and I’m sorry if you read it that way. That’s the only downside of the written word, is that you can’t hear tone of voice. Anywho, thank you so much for your feedback. I do hope that you continue reading my blog. I truly value your long time readership, and i would be so sad to think that a post such as this caused you to leave. But of course, I respect whatever you decide to do. know that I will be keeping you and your family in my prayers. Thank you, Caralyn Hugs and love xox

        Liked by 2 people

      2. You are SO out to lunch Caralyn. You are also very young, and have a lot of growing up to do. Think deeper. Do some research. Unplug from your various forms of social media and meet with God. Honestly, I just cannot believe this post and the shallowness of it. Others have more eloquently expressed the truth about this issue so I will leave it at this.

        Perhaps one day you will look back on your words and regret it… perhaps not. I honestly think you need to step back and humble yourself before you let diatribes loose like the one you have let loose here. You are part of the problem and I think you have SO much good to offer, so I hope you humble yourself and open your eyes before saying these kinds of things in the future. Don’t build your online presence on sensationalism. It will only come back to bite you in the end.

        Like

      4. Don’t mind the naysayers, luv; they read/see what they want to see. Your opinion has a LOT of support here, and I’m so thankful you wrote this piece 💟💟🙌🏽🙌🏽🙌🏽

        Like

      6. I do agree that it was very political. I’m not sure if that was her intention but it was the outcome. As far as unsubscribing, I think you have to make the call for yourself on what you want to read and see each day. I have seen many posts by Caralyn (I think that’s how her name is spelled, sorry if I got it wrong girl!) that I enjoyed and got a lot out of; and then there’s been some that I’ve felt the need to challenge (such as this one). But at the end of the day, it’s my choice to follow her right? So if I don’t like what I see then I shouldn’t continue to follow her. But I like enough of her content to continue to and she always takes everyone’s compliments and criticisms with grace. I respect that. So although she and I have wildly different beliefs and sometimes world views, I continue to follow.

        However, I do think emotion and pain got the best of her here. Aren’t we all guilty of that sometimes though? She aimed for a message of unity and compassion but then condemned people who didn’t cope with this tragedy in the same way she did, or in the ways she felt were appropriate. That’s why I said something. And the football comment was completely against what she said her initial intent was (not to be political) but I know I’ve also gone wayyyy off track before. I just personally try to remind myself that behind every post I read is a real person who’s pouring their time at a minimum, and their heart and soul at a maximum, into what I’m reading. And I try to keep that in mind when I see that they went a bit off topic or didn’t stick with what they said their intentions were. Hell, I just wrote a post yesterday about the unpopular opinions trend on social media and said that I wanted to talk about the common theme behind many of the opinions I was seeing more than the argument of the opinions themselves and I probably came as close to arguing one side of those said opinions as I could have without actually doing so lol. It was just the only way I knew to write the post and still speak my truth. But i came very, very close to almost doing what I said I wanted to avoid doing lol. None of us are perfect and writing most certainly, is not perfect. So thank you for your reply, sorry for my long answer lol. This has been on my mind today. Much love, Ashes

        Liked by 3 people

      7. Okay now I have to comment again. My second comment was in reply to joyful boys. I didn’t realize that someone else had also replied to this. After reading the other comments, I have to say, I would not want to be you right now Caralyn. And to everyone commenting: attacking her or (more shockingly) her relationship with her god because of how she emotionally reacted to and wrote about a tragedy is just unfair. Shes a human being. So unless you know her personally, give her a break! I didn’t agree with everything in this post but I think we as readers have a responsibility to remember that there’s a human being behind the words. So while she may have gotten many good reactions to this post, there was also some negative. Let’s not allow ourselves to become an angry or judgmental mob teaming up on one woman. That’s bullshit. And yes, I know she puts her thoughts out for the world to read but that gives you the right to analyze her THOUGHTS, NOT her as a person. It is far beyond any of us to tell this young woman to humble herself or to meet with god. Her personal relationship with her higher power is none of our business. Just sayin. I feel as if I added to the people dumping on you with that second comment more than I added to the conversation and I apologize for that. As I said in my initial comment, it isn’t always easy, but as writers and as human beings, it’s good for us to consider other people’s perspectives and reactions to situations, even the ones that seem to not make sense. Some things are unacceptable (like what the woman from CBS said) but other things are just different ways of coping with tragedy and judging how people cope with that never ends well. ❤️❤️💤

        Liked by 1 person

  4. Beautifully written. My husband is in law enforcement and had many coworkers attend the concert. Thankfully none were killed, one was grazed in the face by a bullet. It’s hard to make sense of the senseless. I always think of the bible verse where the Lord says, “In this world you will have trouble, but take heart, I have overcome the world.” We have to stay strong in our faith and trust that those we lost are in a MUCH better place now. I just love your posts, they are refreshingly real. God bless!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Hi Sara, thank you so much for sharing your story. Wow. First of all, thank you so much for your husband’s service to keep us safe. And thank you, Jesus, that none of his friends were killed. That is such a powerful verse. It really brings a lot of comfort. Thanks so much for sharing this, and for your kind words. big hugs to you xox

      Liked by 1 person

  5. Maybe because I hail from a country in which horrific acts of murder are committed on a regular basis (burning of a bus with dozens of passengers inside!, unleashing a barrage of bullets at a soccer field!, etc), but I am of the opinion which I have rarely seen mentioned today, and during past tragedies.
    Evil does not need a reason to be.
    I understand that it is in our nature to attach form and motivation to anything; we are creatures of comfort, and the lack of any solid answers only makes the world a scary place.

    In the two years I have been living in the United States, I have seen calls to action on guns, mental illness, religious affiliation, and any other cause that might provide a probable catalyst for the harm done on the innocents.
    However, I posit that sometimes evil does because evil can. I am referring, of course, to the forces of darkness that infest this world, to the prince of it, he who relishes death and destruction.
    I only say this because you are a fellow believer, and I trust you’re not going to call me a crazy, insensitive or the likes.

    Yes, this country needs whatever legislation on whatever issue to stop events like this from happening, but beyond the superficial fixes, what’s sorely needed is internal compulsion. What’s needed is a purge of our sins, which give birth to evil which give birth to death. What we need is prayer not only for the victims and the perpetrator, but for ourselves, for our neighbors, for this country. We need guidance, we need to walk the narrow path, we need strength to face the evil one and send him running away by the power of Scripture, faith and prayer.

    Liked by 3 people

    1. Hi Ricardo, thank you so much for sharing your thought. I definitely don’t call you crazy. evil is real, and the devil is real. But praise God that Jesus has overcome the world and will prevail. Yes, we need prayer. Thanks for your kind words. Hugs and love xox

      Like

  9. I am Nigerian. My heart goes out to the families of those affected one way or another. My goes out also to President Trump. We will continue to pray for the US.
    What you wrote is all over the world. Many people’s hearts are often blinded and hardened by other un-GODly considerations when they are expected to show compassion.
    Keep it up good and caring lady.

    Liked by 1 person

  10. Awesome post girl. Just remember that under our second amendment no government should have ANY weapons that are superior to those available to the general public. So if ONLY military and law enforcers had the best weaponry..well…u get what we have today. A military industrial complex that is corrupt as hell itself. Im with u tho and behind every word u posted. Oh btw.. are u following me? If not id be honored. I posted about this as well but from a biblical view.

    Liked by 1 person

      5. I was wondering.. i dont always use my own pics. How can i assure that i wont get in trouble for just google searching my images? Also. Is your worspress paid or is it the free version? And it seems to me fb is my best traffic driver but everyone successful on youtube says pinterest but i have yet to convert anyone from Pinterest..any insight? Sorry so much just know u are doing really well and wanna ask a expert personally 🙂

        Like

  12. Of course, in the immediate aftermath of such a tragedy, the focus is on love and compassion for the victims, but I couldn’t in all conscience not respond to this post. It seems that there is such a cultural divide on the issues you raise. From here, calls for gun control do not seem like pushing a political agenda, but like making compassion more than just words. It seems unbelievable to most of us in the UK that there are no restrictions to the availability of guns in the USA, and just to express shock and sadness every time these mass shootings happen looks evasive from here. Surely compassion must mean taking practical action to protect future potential victims as well as caring for the bereaved and wounded. Of course it is people who pull the trigger and controlling guns does not take away the whole problem, but it does seriously limit the damage that disturbed and wreckless people can do. This is what we see from here:
    ‘How the US compares: The number of gun murders per capita in the US in 2012 – the most recent year for comparable statistics – was nearly 30 times that in the UK, at 2.9 per 100,000 compared with just 0.1.
    Of all the murders in the US in 2012, 60% were by firearm compared with 31% in Canada, 18.2% in Australia, and just 10% in the UK.’

    Then again, responses to the athletes’ protest during the national anthem reflect difference in cultural attitudes? To most people here that I know, their protest looks dignified appropriate and respectful.

    I suppose we all see the world from different places but compassion and love is I hope universal.

    Liked by 4 people

    2. To people here that see the truth behind what those athletes are doing, it also looks dignified and respectful. People claim it’s disrespectful to soldiers but most of the soldiers I know (and I know many) get so offended when people say that because they believe past generations died for those athletes rights to do that. The right to protest was fought and paid for and they did so without damaging people or property, unlike many Trump supporters during the election. Just my thoughts. Thank you for sharing these statistics though. Much of my family is Australian and they think Americans are idiots for not banning weapons such as those used in the attack sooner. Gun buy backs and tougher legislation may not stop the orlandos and las Vegas’ but I agree that they can limit the damage done.

      Like

  13. I have found your post a very interesting, though provoking read as always. I agree with you that it is the person behind the gun that is the problem, and likely suffering from mental health problems. As you know yourself in therapy you seek to find the root for the behaviours, to work through it and come out the other side. Your response here shows that you have thought about the person behind the behaviour. However, you say that the people calling for guns to be banned are not “seeking peace”. Surely if you look behind the behaviour there will be many who are asking for guns to be banned so this doesn’t happen again. So they are seeking peace… in their own way. Just because their grief doesn’t look like yours it doesn’t mean they are wrong or not greiving. They could be just as hurt and saddened as you are but are showing it in a different way. I just feel with regards to your reaction on that aspect, you might have been a bit too quick to judge. When I was ill with anorexia I was often not a nice person but I am eternally greatful to those who took the time to look beyond that behaviour to what was going on inside. Take care of yourself xx

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Thanks so much for this thoughtful response. Yeah, that is very true: the people who reach out and tried to break down the walls were so needed. I’m sorry if you felt I was quick to judge. I will seek to be more understanding next time. 🙂 Hugs and love xox

      Like

  14. I understand your anger at people jumping to speak about gun control while the tragedy is still fresh. I don’t agree, but I can understand that – although, if gun control laws were ever to be implemented, when is a better time than this to speak about it?

    But I honestly don’t get your dig at people who are kneeling during the national anthem to protest police brutality against their race. So racism is mental illness? What is shameful about their protest? Do you deny the existence of uneven dealing from the police with people of the African American population?

    Liked by 4 people

    1. I agree with you. There is nothing shameful about the peaceful and poignant way in which those sportsmen knelt during the national anthem. To say that because officers risked their lives during the Las Vegas shooting that the sportsmen should feel bad for kneeling, seems very misguided and ignorant to me. And let’s not ignore the fact that because this man who killed all of these people is white, he is immediately classified as mentally ill and not a terrorist. If he were a person of colour, he wouldn’t have had it this easy. There’s something to say about that.

      Liked by 1 person

      2. Thanks for sharing your perspective. i do appreciate hear all sides of issues. he definitely could be a terrorist. I’m just making the observation that anyone – no matter of skin color – who shoots at an innocent crowd like that is not mentally stable. Doesn’t matter their race, nationality, creed or gender – that behavior is a symptom of some sort of mental disorder. But you’re right, there are sadly a lot of deep seeded judgments and preconceived stereotypes that unfortunately are held by some, and that is not good. thanks for joining the dialogue. Hugs and love xox

        Liked by 1 person

    2. Thanks for sharing your thoughts. It is definitely a difficult issue. There are obviously things that need to change and the situation is heart breaking and I’m not denying the problem at all. I just also feel that police officers are bY and large good people. And, as with every profession (look at the priesthood) there are a handful of “bad eggs” and people who abuse power. But it doesn’t soil the whole profession – and police officers risk their lives every day to protect us and I don’t know. It’s complicated. Because those isolated situations are horrible. Anyways. I’m just talking in circles now. Thanks for your response. Hugs and love xox

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Thank you for your gracious response. Yes, i totally agree that police officers are generally great. And, it is important to note that i do not live in the US, but have family and many friends who do.

        But, is there not a racism problem still latent – and many times obvious – in society?
        Again, how are the players who kneel showing disrespect to good cops?

        I know that the conversation is about guns and not the police, but i just thought i would point that out.

        Blessings

        Like

  15. My condolences to you and your fellow Americans for this latest loss of life. It’s true that the victims and their families need at this time compassion and support. They certainly do not need to be dragged into political discussions or used to promote any agenda. They should be left alone to grief with the support of family , friends and a caring society. But America, you got to do something. America’s record of mass shootings is in a league of its own in the world. The availability of guns is a problem.

    The phrase, “running amok”, actually came out of my country Malaysia where an Amok is a madman who rampages through a village due to emotional or mental illness. Presumably, not an infrequent occurrence in the past and still happens to a degree today. But usually armed with a dagger or a machete, the casualty toll is usually limited and there are few victims. It would be clearly a lot worse if guns were readily available.

    America has far, far more murders with firearms than the rest of the world (even exceeding some countries with active wars or insurgencies). I remember the U.S. embassy putting out a travel warning for Americans traveling to Thailand because of safety concerns; to which the Thai government calmly pointed out that their violent crime and murder rate is lower than the USA. The number of mass shooting events are increasing in frequency (now about one a day on average) and in casualties. Something has to be done. It should have been done after Columbine, Virginia Tech, Sandy Hook and so many others. Do something please for your children.

    Liked by 3 people

  17. My thoughts exactly. Not long after I awoke and saw what happened, I heard someone in public office saying that the President needs to look into gun control more than praying. You’ve got to be kidding me! Not surprised one bit about that response, just sad about it.

    Liked by 1 person

  19. I don’t want to come across as heartless, but just provide some outside perspective as to why people may respond the way they do.

    I don’t think people are being heartless, I think it is that gun violence is out of control in the US and people are sick of it. Of course people are absolutely heartbroken but jeeze Louise, how many people have to die before your government acts. They want to feel safe when they go to school, college, the movie or a show. People should have a right to feel safe and not worry about sending their kids to school. To outsiders it seems completely insane that no one seems to see this as a serious problem.

    If you are talking about ‘an appropriate time to discuss this’, when would that be? There has been over 270 mass shootings in the US this year. That is about 1 per day…..if you can’t talk about it near the day of a mass shooting, then it will never be discussed. Surely this could be the catalyst for something better, and at least something good could come from something so tragic.

    People are not being insensitive. They are angry, distraught and feel utterly helpless because nothing is changing. They want more from their country. They know it can be greater than this.

    How big an atrocity has to happen before the government acts? It is incomprehensible that anyone can feel this is ok.

    Your government is so caught up in protecting people from ISIS (the boogey man), which haven’t taken a life on American soil, that they totally ignore protecting you from gun violence.

    Less people are getting killed in countries that are officially at war, than in the US. This is completely nuts.

    Gun control does not mean no guns. It means background checks, gun licences, no high powered semi auto weapons, not having an arsenal in your house. Etc etc etc. Why on earth does any civilian need a semi auto weapon? Why does a civilian need 10 weapons? The US is no longer under threat of being invaded by the British, it doesn’t need that many guns!

    Lastly, the whole “guns don’t kill people, people kill people” nonsense. True, but if this guy did not have access to a semi auto weapon, how many rounds could he have gotten off before people were able to take cover and the cops barged the door down. That’s the point – a massive difference in the casualty rate.

    I am sorry if I appear callous. I am not. What happened in Vegas is just completely horrific and I can’t even vaguely understand why this horror keeps happening but no one seems to actually do anything about it…..

    Liked by 3 people

    1. thank you for joining the dialogue and sharing your thoughts. i appreciate hearing from all sides on the issue. i think we can agree that the the events of Sunday night were truly terrible and we never want it to happen again. Hugs and love xox

      Like

  20. You summed this up very well in another great post. Guns are not the problem; the people pulling the trigger are.

    Guns are a target because they are much easier to attack than fertilizer companies or truck rental places.

    The Second Amendment was written as a way for citizens to protect themselves from a tyrannical government. By taking away our right to ‘keep and bear arms’, the government is actually displaying the tyranny from which we need to protect ourselves.

    Gun control is not the problem. And trying to implement stricter gun control laws isn’t the answer. Chicago is a great (unfortunately) example of this. They have some of the strictest gun control laws and yet they have one of the highest gun related murder rates in the country.

    When schools kicked God to the curb, something had to fill the void. And I don’t think we need guess who it was.

    God Bless!

    Liked by 2 people

  21. Of course, you nailed it again! Thanks for always sharing your honest thoughts that young people in our age bracket are sometimes so afraid to share!!

    Liked by 1 person

  24. I understand where you are coming from, but from looking at this from the UK, it seems mad to us, we had one school shooting and bought in stricter gun control. Maybe right after the advent is not right, but it certainly should be talked about, people will want to know why this happened, how this was allowed to happen and it is because it the USA it seems easier to get a gun than drive a car.

    People talk about the second amendment but that was written in a time when you could fire a round a minute, not 200 rounds a minute. I don’t think banning guns are the answer, but this needs to be talked about, and stopped before the next time, because there will be a next time.

    Also, the guy might not be suffering from a mental disorder, he just might be evil, don’t assume that because this has happened its down to mental health, millions of people cope with mental disease without getting a gun and shooting people.

    Liked by 4 people

    1. I’m in Australia and the exactly same thing happened as it must have done in the UK, when the Port Arthur massacre happened here 20 odd years ago. Guns were taken away. And it made sense. It was entirely the right thing to go. No ordinary citizen needs an assault rifle.

      I read this blog this morning and felt bewildered when I read that ‘guns aren’t the problem’ – Because I’m sorry, but yes they are. I seriously hope that US politicians do something, i don’t know when they think the right time for that conversation is, but it’s now. It has to be now. Please!

      My thoughts are with Las Vegas. Heart is broken.

      Liked by 3 people

      3. It really shocked the whole of the UK, Dunblane was a tiny town, with something like 7000 people in it. It certainly shaped our gun laws that we have now, to try and prevent anything similar happening.

        Don’t get me wrong, if someone really wanted to do something similar, they could probably do it, but it is made so much more difficult now.

        Liked by 1 person

      7. thanks so much for sharing your opinion. i appreciate you joining the conversation and offering this perspective. Yes, my heart is broken too. thanks for stopping by. Hugs and love xox

        Like

  25. I saw the headline yesterday morning before I left work work. I didn’t click on the stories. You see, I already knew the narrative; and I’m not interested in yellow journalism… or what’s known as The Media nowadays. I’m done. It’s not that I don’t care: Far from it. But (as you are) I am sick of everyone using incidents such as these to further their own ludicrous positions. I refuse to award “The Media” with the attention they so desperately crave.

    I don’t know that I fully accept the ‘mental illness’ argument — though I understand, and don’t necessarily disagree with, your assessment. But that excuses behavior that’s a symptom of the sinful state of man: some people are, simply, bad. I prefer to reserve judgement in that arena; but I recognize you’re closer to the subject than I am.

    I’m unwilling to sacrifice my sovereignty for security, and I dearly wish others would stop doing it for me. I know ‘responsibility’ is a dirty word in our society, especially to those practicing the religion of liberalism. But the security these hypocrites want only comes from having the freedom to back down an over-reaching and cannibalistic government. And that means we have the responsibility of policing our own lives. Some individuals are less willing to do that than others.

    I’d love to say something amazing and take your hurt away; but hurt isn’t all bad: it can be the catalyst to make changes. We may not have the influence to change the big things in the world; but we do have the ability to change our local concerns: it starts with ourselves, then goes to our families, then neighborhoods, cities, and out from there. This is how we change the world. And we all can do that.

    1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thanks so much, Matt, for this thoughtful response. i really appreciate you joining the conversation and sharing your perspective. Yes – i agree – it starts with the family. i think the death of the family dinner was the beginning of the end. Hugs and love xox

      Liked by 2 people

  26. You are right the fragile mentality of the human condition certainly plays a part, like you I once used food in a very destructive way before I lost the weight and starting living healthy, however I think the reason the reaction to gun control has been so strong is simply because of the level of devastation and loss of life it can cause in such a short space of time.

    Something needs to be done and unless the US government is planning on investing more money on mental health services, I can understand the yearning to look for another solution as immediate as the problem; however as someone who is a non US citizen, has never handled a gun or lost a family member to a bullet I don’t feel qualified enough to make an informed decision on this tragic issue.

    So I will conclude by saying this; America is the biggest influence of culture in the world and is a nation that despite its open struggle is still one of the most progressive and influential societies on earth. I love reading this blog because of your openness and willingness to express your opinion with such grace and it is the nature of being open, listening, sharing and understanding that will hopefully lead us toward finding an answer that needs to be questioned from all sides.

    Liked by 1 person

  27. I think you are brave and courageous to post this in a society that seems to refrain from laying blame on the responsibly entity. Often times, our society looks to excuse someone’s actions based upon the supposed complications this person may have face.

    We’re all responsible for our own actions.

    Liked by 1 person

  28. I so agree with you!! Why can’t more people think like this. I hate politics- doesn’t mean I don’t have my own opinions- I just don’t verbally vomit on people via social media. I think mental illness is the issue too. Not the guns. Take them or don’t, people will always find a way. Just like abortion. I’m against it but people will always find a way. These debates will continue forever because we all have strong emotions attached to the issues.

    Liked by 1 person

  30. This. This, this, this. Thank you so much for sharing an “unpopular” opinion, but that I wholly agree with. Like yours, my facebook feed was filled with negativity when we need light the most. I saw several people actually condemning those who pray instead of rioting – how backwards is that?

    Liked by 1 person

  31. I agree that more needs to be done to address mental illness. We need to de-stigmatize it, and then bolster resources for it. As someone who works for a significant health system in southeastern Virginia, we have one behavioral health center that offers critical mental health services, as well as inpatient treatment. However, it’s just not enough. More needs to be done. There are so many people suffering from these illnesses – Anxiety, depression, EDs, PTSD, and more. The list goes on. You poured your heart out. Meanwhile, I’m scheduled to give blood on Saturday, and hope that many will continue to donate blood regularly. Donating in times of crisis is huge, but the need is constant. Thank you!

    Liked by 2 people

      1. You’re so welcome. I’m happy to join a constructive conversation. Giving blood is a family affair – My dad has donated over 35 gallons since he was 18! I could go on for hours about his dedication to the cause. My whole family is involved, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

        Liked by 1 person

  32. I completely agree with what you have said. I’m English, I lived in Minnesota for three years and was shocked by the open gun carry policy there. I was in Bosnia, I have seen first hand the effects of massed killings. When human beings start killing they change. Trust me, they become visceral, something changes in their eyes and they can’t stop unless they are stopped. There are no drugs, no therapy, no help and no cure for what I saw, it is going to be very difficult for the survivors to try to come to terms with this. You have to try to live with it, to accept it, because it won’t go away.

    Like

  33. We have gun control in Canada. (Note that we still have large numbers who make their living hunting and trapping and need guns.) We have very few mass shooting in Canada. Guns in the hands of mentally ill and fanatics do kill people and children. The idea is to keep guns out of the hands of the mentally ill and fanatics. Please note, the US makes up less than 5% of the worlds population but has 31% of global mass shootings. No private citizen needs an automatic weapon. Please note my prayers are with the dead and injured in Las Vegas – including the three Canadians but that is no reason to stop talking about gun control. Canadians are just as patriotic about our country and rights as you are but we do not get as upset about our flag as you do about yours. We are more concerned with our freedom to protest and about free speech. than pledging allegiance to our flag. Hope I’m not upsetting you.

    Liked by 1 person

  35. In such hard times you take comfort in reading posts like these. Thank you for opening up about your past and for your honesty – I couldn’t agree more that it’s not about the guns but about the people who fire them. There are no simple answers or solutions. My heart goes out to all involved.

    Liked by 1 person

  36. Anger comes out in many ways for many people. I see those on my social media also calling for action. But I think the reason behind it is moreso because they’ve felt pain. They’ve experienced loss before.

    People feel unheard. We can comfort each other, and we should. But they want awareness and prevention to protect others from being hurt. I’m not on the sides of everything I’ve seen, but I can sympathize with that pain.

    There has to be a better way. But you are right, finger pointing and sarcasm just cause more of rift. Everyone is hurt on BOTH sides, and no one (or few) are trying to mend each end. This is the world we live in. Mankind continues to carry darkness just as in the beginning days of sin. Somethings won’t change till every thing is completed by God’s hand.

    But as you also brought up there is hope NOW. We can be a small change. We can lift each other up. We can be light. We can be an example. We can use our life experiences, as you have, to correct the lies others want to be believe.

    There will always be hope.

    Always. 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    1. These are some really really great points, TR. Pain and grief manifest in lots of different ways. And yes. We can be a small change. We CAN be the light. That’s why I share trump’s speech because when he said that about being the Ray of hope, I was so moved by that because it’s so TRUE!! Thanks for sharing your thoughts 🙂 Hugs and love xox

      Liked by 1 person

      1. 🙂 wherever we can openly discuss differences that’s where growth starts. That’s where community is founded. And I appreciate the fact I’ve always been able to share thoughts, even if they are slightly different, on your blog. I think you share a lot of great discussion points, and you speak from your heart. I know sometimes other commenters try to use that against you, and it isn’t right. But my intention has always been to further the conversation with you, cause I love talking to you. 🙂

        Liked by 2 people

  41. What can I say, you’re on point. Proud of you my dear, for taking the time to think and analyze things. Instead of whatever the media dictates. I take my hat off for you.

    Liked by 1 person

  42. Lady we agree this is a tragedy, none of these people deserved what hit them and that I am sure mental illness had a huge part in this. The parts we disagree on should not be argued about right now. So hugs to you and hope can find peace in your prayers kid.

    Liked by 1 person

  43. It was a tragedy, definitely. But even as ‘dead’ and ‘injured’ are blank words, and the numbers blank numbers, people take each new mass shooting as a need for change. That’s one of the reasons some are using this as another reason to implement gun control laws. After doing a project on the subject of mass shootings, in Australia (VERY strict gun laws) they haven’t had a mass shooting since 1996 (defining mass shooting as more than four people killed indiscriminately). Whereas in the US, there’s an average of 460 mass shootings per year in the last five years. Considering that there are 365 days in a year…
    And that’s why people are still talking about politics. Because this COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED (please pretend those are italics, not caps). And it wasn’t.

    Liked by 2 people

      1. Yup. Just a clarifying thing, though, by anger, I mean the need to take action. Once the same kind of tragedy happens that many times in a row, there’s got to be a reason there. So it seems to me that maybe that’s what people seem to be turning to. Apologies for beating a dead horse, though. I really like debating things, just to see what other people think, and what they think of my own opinions.

        Like

  44. I live in the UK and haven’t had to experience such a frightening occurrence; but after all the London attacks this year, yes I do agree with you that it’s more about the person wielding the weapon. With that said, when I really consider the random killings of innocent ‘people’ in the US with guns by individuals without an ‘agenda’ per se, I think we have been saved a lot more deaths in the UK by limiting the access to these weapons. I will totally understand why people will raise the issue of gun control at this time because it was the availability of such a large number of guns to just one man that increased the number of his casualties. And at this time, it’s a gun, so people will most certainly talk about guns. It’s just sad, this world we live in, and I know things aren’t getting any better . . . we can only pray that our angels will always be on guard for us. But for now, we weep for the fallen ones.

    Liked by 1 person

  45. Thank You for this very real heartfelt post. My uncle was there, thankfully he made it out physically safe. I can’t imagine the emotional scars he’ll now have to deal with. I cannot express my own fury while being affected with concern for a loved one and seeing the absolutely shameless display of people on my social media news feeds. You’re absolutely right about it being the person who commits the crime! Thank you also for supporting my blog for so long, I have nominated you for the Liebster Award and want you to know how inspiring you have been on my own journey.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thanks so much for sharing this. Wow, I am so glad that your uncle is okay. I can’t even begin to imagine the sheer horror of being there. Wow. Praying for him. And thank you so much for the nomination. It really means a lot. Hugs and love xox

      Liked by 1 person

      1. I just watched Conan’s commentary, It was also deeply moving. Thank you. There was massive opposition to the gun buy-back here but I am sure there are are people alive today, who would not be alive, if it hadn’t happened.
        I enjoy your blog and I have really admired the way you have courageously responded to our comments, whether we agree or not.

        Like

  47. Caralyn:

    We cannot both honor Christ and rely upon tools of death as a method of security. As Christians, to defend someone’s right to buy weapons designed to kill indiscriminately is to condone their moral destruction.

    Many of the people that speak out for gun control after a massacre like this are survivors of the death of a loved one under similar circumstances. Every incident like this thrusts them forcefully back to the moment of that trauma, bringing them to ask again and again “Why?” If you don’t agree with their perspective, do not treat it as a moral failing on their part. To do so is to disrespect their own suffering.

    If you have trouble relating to this, think about your ED triggers.

    I agree with you on assault weapons. There are organizations engaged in an ongoing struggle against the gun lobby and the advertising that creates addiction to violence. If you are going to decry opportunists for gun control, you should find an opportunity on this forum to celebrate those that don’t manifest that hypocrisy. Otherwise you are being a hypocrite yourself, talking about gun control in the aftermath of a massacre.

    The gun lobby is no different than the tobacco companies, systematically working to activate pathways in the brain that build fear and condition victims to seek relief through violence. It creates the mental illness that you describe as the root of the problem.

    Gun advertising should be regulated, just as was cigarette advertising, including requirements for inclusion of statistics regarding suicides, accidental deaths, and testimonials from the survivors of massacres and from law enforcement regarding the inefficacy of the weapons to the purpose of self-defense and civil disobedience.

    Brian

    Liked by 1 person

  48. Hello, I don’t agree with everything political point in your post but we both know that this was most likely demonic and/or someone severely mentally ill that needed support. Praying for the victims and their families. Thank you for your sharing your thoughts.
    God bless you!

    Like

  49. We definitely need to make prayer, compassion, love, forgiveness come first in our response to life events. Also curious how many people think it’s healthy to gamble and live a life focused on making money and seeking pleasure… that’s part of the tragedy too.

    Liked by 1 person

  50. You and I don’t quite see eye-to-eye on the political side if this, but we are in complete agreement that there needed to be time for compassion and mourning before the debates began. I don’t know where people’s hearts have gone to anymore.

    Like

Leave a reply to G.B.Y.S Cancel reply