Fear tactics work. In fact, they work so well I now live in a nation of cowards instead of dreamers, inventors, and those who believe in a better nation for everyone. Hatred has replaced the directive of Jesus Christ that we love one another as He loved us.

The United States of America has become a country brainwashed by politicians who support corporations instead of those who elected them. America has become an armed camp. The fear tactics used by the GOP and NRA have succeeded in creating another and far more realistic fear for the majority of our nation’s people.

Terrorists present a very small danger to the average American; those who share space with you and your families in movie theaters, grocery stores, the workplace, and your church, offer a far greater danger. A mass killing has occurred every day in 2015, and this disreputable situation will continue in 2016.

Christmas was once a day when Christians celebrated the birth of their savior. The true meaning of December 25 was wrapped up in a celebration of peace, love, and all things family. This Christmas it was marked by paranoia created by fear, anger, and hatred.

Gun sellers and manufacturers had their best Holiday Season ever. On ‘Black Friday,’ the FBI reported a record 185,345 instant background checks; the most ever for a single day. So, Merry Christmas to the NRA; you win.

Every time sensible gun laws are proposed to protect innocent people, a spokesman for the gun lobby spins the truth and blames senseless attacks and increased gun sales on the intelligent and caring people of our nation, while protecting the gun nuts.

“The knee jerk reaction of politicians is immediately after an event like [San Bernadino] to take advantage of it for political goals and will try to restrict the rights of law-abiding gun owners,” Sam Paredes, spokesman for Gun Owners of America, told ABC. “So there is a natural rush to gun stores to purchase guns and ammunition.”

In truth the NRA loves tragedies such as San Bernardino; it increases gun sales and therefore profits.

Gun store owners reported record sales of all types of weapons of mass destruction in 2015. Morons such as Donald Trump tell their supporters that ‘if everyone was armed, incidents such as San Bernardino would not happen. Really?

Concealed handguns are no match for military weapons. The ability to fire dozens of rounds in seconds, while wearing body armor, only makes someone reaching for a handgun a target. But there I go being logical again, and no one wants that.

For some unknown reason, many of our nation’s people are willing to listen to idiot politicians instead of intelligent men and women who offer reasonable, Constitutional ideas. Has the collective IQ of our nation become lowered to such a level that brainwashing requires very little effort?

The biggest lie that the NRA offers its supporters is that those such as myself want to take away guns from those who have legally purchased them; nothing could be further from the truth. Unlike the NRA and the GOP, I support the entire Constitution. Unlike those who disagree with me I believe that the first and fourth amendments are as equally important as the second.

I know of no one who would repeal the second amendment, but it is reasonable to define a ‘right’ which was ratified in 1789. None of our founding fathers could have foreseen the creation of assault rifles and high-output magazines. None of them would have supported the rights of mentally challenged men and women, or those living in our nation who are suspected terrorists to purchase killing machines.

Once again I commend the rights of celebration during this former time of peace and joy for the NRA and those they support; the gun manufacturers and gun sellers. They had a wonderful Christmas while millions of innocent Americans remained in politically-induced fear.

Op-Ed

By James Turnage

Source

Photo Courtesy of DonkeyHotey

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