Remarks on Yesterday's Golf Course Incident
I am a lifelong pacifist. I have never raised a hand in anger, and the only somewhat violent thing I have ever done was to perform CPR. I spent most of my life as a vegetarian so nothing would have to die so I could eat it. In my mind, violence, especially political violence, is never called for.
While we are still awaiting details, I believe that the only people to fire guns yesterday were the Secret Service. The potential shooter fled when they fired, leaving behind his backpack and his AR-weapon. Convicted Felon Trump was never in any real danger, as the Secret Service checks several holes ahead while he’s playing, like he does most mornings.
There will now be a hue and cry to give him more protection, and declare everywhere he goes (and golfs) “gun free areas.”
I have a different idea. Let’s look at which presidential candidates (not incumbents) have had assassination attempts on them. In addition to the current guy, the only other one I can think of (please correct me if I’m wrong) was George Wallace. Hhmmnn, what do they have in common? What could it be? OH YEAH - both are/were racists and haters. So, the best solution is a political one, where all racists and haters LOSE AS BIG AS POSSIBLE.
The other part of my idea is that the Convicted Felon is not any more a person than anyone else. I personally hate what he stands for, but he’s arguably a human being. Like the kids who never come home from school, and all the people that never come home from a concert, supermarket, movie, club or anywhere else mass shootings occur. Therefore, the solution is BAN THE GUNS! In 36 states, there are open-carry laws meaning one can tote around a handgun with or without a permit. Only 10 states ban the sale of automatic weapons, and 14 states (and DC) ban large capacity magazines. Source. All very piecemeal.
Do you know how many American presidents have been assassinated? Four. Do you know how many people were killed by guns in American in 2023? About 43,000. Source. Guns are now a bigger killer of children than car accidents.
The problem is not Secret Service protection, nor mental illness, nor politics. IT’S THE GUNS.
Can I keep my water pistol? When I was a City Court Judge in Yonkers back in the '90s, there were 6 of us Judges. Back then, there were no metal detector entrance ways, 4 of the Judges were packing hand guns; two to us weren't: I was one of that two; the other guy was legally blind. I was probably the best shot of all as I had earned marksman awards for 38 and 45 caliber pistols when on active duty in the USAF. I always believed that if any of my four colleagues were called upon to use their holstered pistol in an emergency, they were more likely to shoot themselves in the foot than an at an armed adversary.