Nuance

Nuance is not impossible.

I am in favor of responsible gun ownership. I am against crazy ass gun worship. There's a big difference.

I know some of these survivalist nutbags who think all the civilization in the world is going to end soon and the only way they are going to survive is to have enough assault weapons and ammunition to shoot every member of the hordes of people that are going to come after their "supplies" when the shit jumps off. They are EVERYWHERE. You are probably surrounded by them right now.

These people are MENTALLY ILL. It's time to stop glorifying these "survivalists" by giving them their own television shows and start getting them the help they need. I don't know what level of paranoia you have to be to need mental health care, but I think stockpiling weapons and explosives for the upcoming mayan/zombie/nutjob apocalypse is WAY WAY across that line.

Keeping some bottled water and a few power bars around in case of an earthquake or tornado is one thing. Keeping your basement filled to the rafters with saltine crackers and 9mm ammo is another. I think we can tell the difference, right?

I've also noticed all the reactionaries on twitter going fuck nutz crazy about gun rights. Funny how they think the constitution is absolute and unchangeable when you're talking about gun ownership, but when it's about letting gays marry they're all about getting constitutions changed. "Pass those 'Defense of Marriage' amendments, and do it quick before the fags take over completely!" You people need to calm down. Nobody is going to take away your guns. I promise.

Want to talk about people fooling themselves? They really think a glock and an AR15 are enough for them to "take up arms" against their corrupt government? The one with tanks, aircraft carriers, drones and nuclear weapons? Keep up that pretense, Billy Bob. There's some nuance there I think they've missed.

Look, I understand the feeling that if someone comes lurking around your house in the middle of the night intending to do harm to yourself or your family, you want to be able to defend yourself and you definitely cannot count on the police who have more important things to do like give out tickets to people disobeying no right-turn-on-red signs. I get that.

I just think that we can differentiate between people who have those feelings and those who think they need a bunker full of assault weapons and ammunition. That having a safely stored gun in your home to make yourself feel safer, (which in fact makes your home less safe [statistics are a bitch]) is different from someone who sleeps with a loaded 9mm under his pillow.

Guns are kind of like drugs. There are those people who can fire a gun and feel that power and handle it. There are many who cannot. They become like people who get a prescription of vicodins from the dentist and IMMEDIATELY count them to make sure the pharmacist didn't screw them over. That's a person that needs help.

I have no idea how you find those people, nor do I know how you actually help them. If you try, you'll probably get shot. I just know that we have to stop laughing at them and saying "that's how they are." They're sick. It's not funny. It's sad.