Let Us Suppose

Today, I drove to Florida from North Carolina. During the trip, the news revealed that the professional ball player killed recently in an automobile wreck was driving "under the influence of alcohol."

That is polite talk for the police term "drunk on his ass."

Not only was he drunk, he was traveling at about 70 mph and talking on his cell phone when he hit the vehicle in front of him and killed himself. Marijuana was also found in the vehicle by the investigating police officers.

Now here is the "Let Us Suppose" part of this blog.

Let us suppose this same drunk had hit a bus full of children causing multiple deaths up to and including everyone on the bus. For a round number lets say a total of 22, including 21 students plus the driver.

How long would the resulting hullabaloo last and what would determine the length of the ruckus?

Unless someone really famous was on the bus, I believe the hullabaloo would more than likely over for the world in general within seven days after the last funeral.

Perhaps even sooner if Brittany Spears does something stupid.

There would be no politicians beating their war drums increasing the restrictions on vehicle usage, alcohol purchases, cell phone usage, and/or marijuana usage. The only people upset would be members of Mothers Against Drunken Drivers (MADD).

There are a lot more drinking drivers than there are MADD members.

In my example, the 22 subjects who died on the bus are just as dead as if they had all been killed with a firearm.

Sudden unplanned deaths are pretty similar in my opinion. Either way, you are dead without a chance to say goodbye. Your worldly journey is over regardless of you plans or goals. Whether you enjoyed your life or not.

As I see it, the difference between alcohol related deaths and firearm related deaths is that a lot more people in this country enjoy their vehicles, alcohol and cell phones and/or marijuana than enjoy firearms.

Because of this, politicians are not going to lobby for laws that affect the masses, including lawmakers themselves. This is regardless of the fact that misuse of vehicles, alcohol, cell phones and/or drug abuse kill many more people in this country than firearms.

However, their is another major difference that politicians as well as many citizens overlook for various reasons.

The use of a motor vehicle, the use of alcohol and the use of cell phones are a privilege.

The use of firearms in this country is a right as guaranteed by the Second Amendment to the United States Constitution.