Yeah - you get three posts today. Lucky you. The reason is this:
People are freaking my shit out. I went to the chiropractor today, because I'm going to be in the air tomorrow. Idle conversation turns into something meaningful. In my mind. The talk of buying guns.
Most noteworthy was - it wasn't done in the hushed tones that usually come from this type of conversation. And this wasn't the kind of "oh yeah, the world is going crazy - I think I'll buy a gun". This was the most serious of conversations. Meaning they'd looked at guns, checked out the laws. And seemed pretty certain. People I wouldn't have pegged for gun toting' hicks. This is liberal California after all. The whole office was talking about it. In a very loud serious way. And they didn't care which patients heard. I can't emphasize how unusual this is.
The reason I know this is because I'd gone through this very same pattern. The neighbor I am close with - actually started working for a gun shop a few months back. I'd had the very serious talk about "if there is a gun in the house, I have to accept I might have to shoot some one". When said neighbor informed me that I couldn't shoot people I the knees, I had to be deadly serious. Things have been on chill.
The people in the office had already checked out where the shooting ranges were and everything. I guess you have to take a class or something. I hadn't gotten that far.
In general I don't have a problem with guns. Remember I grew up poor. So I grew up with guns. They don't bother me. The only thing that does it what is going to live in my head later if such an event were to occur. Some of this I already live with. So these decisions are very serious for me.
And there is more than anecdotal evidence. Sure I hear on the news that gun sales are up. My neighbor also confirms this. They can't keep anything in stock. But, the gal I was talking to today said she was at a sporting goods shop. The lower level empty. The upper level packed. Where they sold guns.
It isn't the first such talk I've had lately. And no one mentions the new administration. Their motivation? Crime. I think people are afraid the world is going to loose its shit. Some days, I'm not so sure its not.
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I've thought about getting a gun too, but Oakland refuses to grant conceal and carry permits to their citizens. The criminals still carry their guns of course, but if you want to go through the mandated training and psychiatric evaluation so that you can legally carry one in California, the Police Chief still says no dice. Since CCW's are controlled on a local level, you're not allowed to get one without local permission. I've heard of people neighborhood shopping for permits before, but it seems extreme to move over such a minor issue.
ReplyDeleteSean Penn was able to get one by moving to a swanky norcal Zip code (even though he has a criminal history), but in Oakland, Concord & Alameda, they've refused to hand out even a single permit. Since I'm more worried about the crime outside of my home, then what happens inside, it just didn't seem to make a lot of sense to get one if I couldn't actually use it to protect myself.
I feel like I should comment on this, but am not sure how or what to say. I am from the midwest where all you have to do is apply and poof you are legal. All I can say is would you rather be alive with truely painful memories, or not. Peace in these troubling times may come in the hardest way.
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