Thought for today:
"My couple of years in Canada and America during my early twenties taught me that most Americans are naturally inclined to exaggerate their own sense of history and scale of importance in the grand scale of things. They never seem happy unless they can boast that theirs is bigger, better and gives more bang to the buck than anyone else's, whatever they are evaluating.
I have always admired the Americans for their confidence to succeed as a nation, along with the respect they give to their flag by being prepared to fly it from their porch, as well as the daily pledge in their schools and colleges.They most certainly are a tenacious race as is demonstrated by their 'get up and go spirit', especially when the chips were down.
If they have one major flaw as a nation however, it is not being able to hold a true sense of historical perspective. We see this most clearly when we examine their 'Bill of Rights' (which is essentially a collective name for the first ten amendments to the United States Constitution). The amendment which highlights the constitution's greatest flaw today, over 200 years since it was brought into being, is their Second Amendment; the right for American citizens to bear arms.
Few would argue about the reasoning behind this amendment a few centuries ago, when a well regulated Militia was seen as being necessary to guaranteeing the security of a free State, but today? Surely such an amendment is not only unnecessary, but is harmful, and results in the loss of too many lives!
Nobody in their true mind could possibly argue that when Thomas Jefferson drafted The United States Declaration of Independence in July, 1776, giving American citizens the right to bear arms under the Second Amendment of the United States Constitution, that 240 years later, it would still be viewed as a vital clause of their constitution, would they? Nobody apart from the overwhelming majority of American citizens themselves it seems, who just don't feel safe enough in their own homes without a pistol, a double-barrelled shot gun, and just in case that jams, a Russian Kalashnikov semi-automatic rifle which is capable of decimating the City of Denver in ten minutes flat!
The nearest analogy I can think of, is a baby who refuses to give up the most comforting of their possessions, even when they are approaching old age; their dummy, I'm afraid that the problem of imposing gun control on a Nation whose instinctive desire is never to be controlled, is threefold:
First, there is the vast amount of money that is generated through the sales of guns in the American economy. The amount is so huge today that the 'Gun Lobby' in American politics, along with the 'Tobacco Lobby,' have been the two greatest funders of political parties in the U.S.A. over the past century; and in the U.S.A., nothing speaks as loud as money!
Secondly, there are some truly historical nuts who believe that like the Laws of Moses, their constitutional amendments shouldn't be changed in accordance with the times.
Thirdly, the right to bear arms for the United State's citizen today, is essentially the right not to give up the comfort blanket which they genuinely believe has protected them since their birth, and shall continue to protect them from cradle to grave.
I refuse to believe that the United States would see more killings on its streets were the Second Amendment no longer considered necessary and gun control established. Were gun control to be brought in, I believe that not only would it result in fewer killings, but that the American citizen might be afforded the real opportunity of recognising the long term harm they are imposing upon their children. It cannot be natural for a child to grow up with guns in their house! There is no doubt that in some circumstances, the possession of a firearm may save lives and can protect and offer reassurance to the holder, but their prime purpose was, is and ever shall be, to kill!
Having a proper sense of perspective regarding all things is crucially important. It enables us to see the way things truly are; not how they have always been or we would like them to be. People who lack such perspective when dealing with the world will undoubtedly lack it when dealing with self. " William Forde: August 21st, 2016.
"My couple of years in Canada and America during my early twenties taught me that most Americans are naturally inclined to exaggerate their own sense of history and scale of importance in the grand scale of things. They never seem happy unless they can boast that theirs is bigger, better and gives more bang to the buck than anyone else's, whatever they are evaluating.
I have always admired the Americans for their confidence to succeed as a nation, along with the respect they give to their flag by being prepared to fly it from their porch, as well as the daily pledge in their schools and colleges.They most certainly are a tenacious race as is demonstrated by their 'get up and go spirit', especially when the chips were down.
If they have one major flaw as a nation however, it is not being able to hold a true sense of historical perspective. We see this most clearly when we examine their 'Bill of Rights' (which is essentially a collective name for the first ten amendments to the United States Constitution). The amendment which highlights the constitution's greatest flaw today, over 200 years since it was brought into being, is their Second Amendment; the right for American citizens to bear arms.
Few would argue about the reasoning behind this amendment a few centuries ago, when a well regulated Militia was seen as being necessary to guaranteeing the security of a free State, but today? Surely such an amendment is not only unnecessary, but is harmful, and results in the loss of too many lives!
Nobody in their true mind could possibly argue that when Thomas Jefferson drafted The United States Declaration of Independence in July, 1776, giving American citizens the right to bear arms under the Second Amendment of the United States Constitution, that 240 years later, it would still be viewed as a vital clause of their constitution, would they? Nobody apart from the overwhelming majority of American citizens themselves it seems, who just don't feel safe enough in their own homes without a pistol, a double-barrelled shot gun, and just in case that jams, a Russian Kalashnikov semi-automatic rifle which is capable of decimating the City of Denver in ten minutes flat!
The nearest analogy I can think of, is a baby who refuses to give up the most comforting of their possessions, even when they are approaching old age; their dummy, I'm afraid that the problem of imposing gun control on a Nation whose instinctive desire is never to be controlled, is threefold:
First, there is the vast amount of money that is generated through the sales of guns in the American economy. The amount is so huge today that the 'Gun Lobby' in American politics, along with the 'Tobacco Lobby,' have been the two greatest funders of political parties in the U.S.A. over the past century; and in the U.S.A., nothing speaks as loud as money!
Secondly, there are some truly historical nuts who believe that like the Laws of Moses, their constitutional amendments shouldn't be changed in accordance with the times.
Thirdly, the right to bear arms for the United State's citizen today, is essentially the right not to give up the comfort blanket which they genuinely believe has protected them since their birth, and shall continue to protect them from cradle to grave.
I refuse to believe that the United States would see more killings on its streets were the Second Amendment no longer considered necessary and gun control established. Were gun control to be brought in, I believe that not only would it result in fewer killings, but that the American citizen might be afforded the real opportunity of recognising the long term harm they are imposing upon their children. It cannot be natural for a child to grow up with guns in their house! There is no doubt that in some circumstances, the possession of a firearm may save lives and can protect and offer reassurance to the holder, but their prime purpose was, is and ever shall be, to kill!
Having a proper sense of perspective regarding all things is crucially important. It enables us to see the way things truly are; not how they have always been or we would like them to be. People who lack such perspective when dealing with the world will undoubtedly lack it when dealing with self. " William Forde: August 21st, 2016.
