Last Missouri Haircut

Went to the young lady that has been cutting my hair while I’ve been here in Blue Eye. Everyone I meet that is still working seems “young” to me. Anyway, we were talking about our recent trips and I mentioned my grandson that could name twenty trucks before he was three. He has the shirt to prove it.

She proceeded to tell me about her cute nephew that is three and can name every gun he sees. He is home schooled on a nearby farm and loves to ride horses and other farm stuff. But he knows the names of every gun he sees in movies and TV shows. Something his daddy is very proud to show all their friends.

She thought this was very cute and I’m sure he is, after all, he’s three. I couldn’t tell her how this made me feel. So I thought I’d tell you. WTF!

I grew up with a few guns and, as I remember, all they did was kill things that didn’t deserve it. Even my .22 target rifle went jack rabbit “hunting”. What tremendous power; to be able to reach out and end life by just pointing a magic stick. I remember when I got my first BB gun. We killed whatever we could hit. It was more of the only way we could get close up examination of birds and reptiles. I also remember graduating to live trapping to supply us with “pets”. After that, my interest in guns faded.

I believe the gun culture in the USA starts with a technical fascination with the mechanics of a projectile weapon and that grows into the belief that guns are necessary to secure our freedom and protect the things we love.

We grew up with the concept that killing in self defense was totally justified. If he drew first, you were allowed to commit murder without the usual consequences. This was/is expanded to include killing in defense of your country. And then further to defend morality by killing those that would end the life of unborn. And finally the killing of those who would dare to deny the one true God.

Most of us agree with the first sentence but not the last. We jump off the train somewhere in between.

Our heroes of the 50s and 60s had a six gun strapped to their side. They were replaced by the spy who could also turn most common objects into lethal weapons.

I’ve heard that the first technology that significantly altered our evolution was the knife or cutting edge. Being able to cut up meat enabled a huge leap in human nutrition. The invention of the gun has to be right up there too. After all, it offered the ability to dispatch food or enemies regardless of individual strength. The ones with the most and best guns would prevail, regardless of physical ability.

Are we heading toward a culture divided into those that abhor guns because of all the pain and suffering they cause and those that worship guns for the sense of well being and security they provide? (However false that security may be doesn’t matter if you believe in it.) “Happiness is a warm gun.”

If that is the case, I’m afraid those with the guns will be in charge. I’m also afraid that they won’t be very tolerant of the “peaceniks”.

I’ve done more than my share of killing. Now I’m asking myself what that says about me and I’m not too thrilled with the answers. The hero self image that I’ve sought since my earliest memory doesn’t stand up too well under such scrutiny. I don’t plan to spend my “golden years” kicking myself for all my bad decisions. I do believe that my past has made me what I am but I also believe that I am still capable of learning and improving.

I’ve told most of my friends about my encounter with the young man in Lakewood, CO who tried to forcibly take my car. The bottom line of the encounter was that I didn’t behave like I would have imagined. I seems that when confronted with an unexpected threat, where flight would not have worked, the fight option also failed to kick in. I managed to negotiate my way out of it, but that was only by luck. Had I been armed I think the outcome would have been much worse. My current strategy is to employ better situational awareness first and if avoidance is not possible, then use non lethal methods to buy enough time to call for help or flee.

I’d like to say “no more killing”, but I will not give up eating meat. And spiders may be our friends but I will still step on one rather than let it crawl up my leg. I won’t try to take away your guns but I don’t plan to arm myself for “protection”.

Countdown

Today begins my two week countdown to hitting the road again. Good thing, I’m getting stir crazy and look forward to seeing friends again. First stop Austin TX. Can’t say I’ll miss Missouri.

Thunder showers today, forecasted perfect tomorrow. Sorry about that Denver. Get that snow out of your system, OK?