On April 10, 1987, this column was launched along with the Alameda Journal’s first edition. My 30-plus years of ensuing efforts hopefully combined enough educational subjects, human insights and bits of amusement to gain a following. Now, I don’t like leaving you. However, when a fellow reaches his ninth decade on the planet, things start giving way. So it is with this column.
Nevertheless, before leaving, I’d like to call attention to certain difficulties we might consider most important.
First of all, our problem in this country with guns. Although it must be admitted there are certain situations where I can understand the need for a gun: Living in a remote area of places like Montana, Wyoming, and similar areas where wildlife is close by, a woman who has to come home from work late at night, and other situations where one is often caught alone and vulnerable. However, the current misinterpretation of our U.S. Constitution’s Second Amendment has enabled gun manufacturers and the NEA to pedal military armaments to just about everyone who wants one is a form of national insanity.
Misinterpretation? That’s right!
Those who prefer to cite the Second Amendment always leave out mention of the need for a well-regulated militia. Why do you think that’s in there? Because, in our earliest days, our founders were leery of having large standing armies and wanted state militias to be bulwark of our defense. And they wanted armed citizens to form the bulk of those militias, which hasn’t happened in a long, long time!
Founding Fathers Thomas Jefferson, John Adams and even Patrick Henry would toss in their graves at the way guns have proliferated into the public’s hands today. Take a look worldwide; we have the most guns in private hands, we kill the most people with guns – simple! But selling guns is a real money-maker!
We’ve learned money in itself can cause problems. The founders of our country couldn’t possibly have imagined the massive amounts of money currently corrupting our democracy. It costs a huge amount of money to run for public office at the national level today. A person isn’t going to get elected to any important office without considerable television exposure and time on television costs money. That money has to come from somewhere. Do you think it is given out of the goodness of wealthy people’s hearts? Or do they want something in return? We do try to regulate money-giving at times, especially where government legislation is concerned – but we aren’t very successful.
Well, it looks like it’s time to retire before I become too much of a curmudgeon. Yet, who knows? The writing urge may push this writer’s thoughts on to some page in the future.
Contact Joe King at alamedanews@bayareanewsgroup.com.