Confessions of an Ex-Liberal Gun Owner – Part I – Superheroes to the Rescue

July, 5, 2013 | QManRN

[Q-ManRN]

I grew up in a liberal family in the northeast reading comic books. My family did not own a gun and we would have been appalled at the thought of owning one. After all, we lived in a nation of law and order with police to protect us.

Guns were an unnecessary risk unless you were a police officer. Children were accidentally killed playing with guns belonging to negligent parents. Hunters were quaint throwbacks to an age before supermarkets trying to relive an age gone by.

The police were like comic book superheroes. They were ever-watchful and everywhere swooping down on hapless criminals. The criminals never stood a chance against those superheroes. And we had an army of superheroes, not just one superhero with a geeky sidekick!

Then, things got even better! 9-1-1 appeared. Now, an average citizen could summon superheroes from their own home. There was no need to wait for someone else to send out the call for help. Superheroes could be at your house or location in minutes restoring law and order.

And the police always represented the highest ideals of law and order by adhering to the superhero’s code of conduct. The base immorality and corruption that plagued lesser men and women could not touch them. Even if the police did make a mistake, they could be excused because of their mighty deeds as the Guardians of Peace and Justice.

In contrast to police, criminals were simply misguided individuals that made poor choices. They simply needed to be shown the error of their ways. And who better to show them than the superhero police who were paragons of virtue. In the face of such virtue, criminals would be forced to reconsider their wayward ways.

And like super-villains, those criminals that continued making poor choices were doomed to a never-ending series of defeats at the hands of police. Thus, law and order, peace and justice, always prevailed with the help of the police. I felt safe and secure with them protecting me.

Having shared my point of view as a child about police being like superheroes, I want to make two very important points as an adult:

1. I have the greatest respect for the police and the demanding and dangerous job that they perform.

2. I would never suggest that our society should not have police to enforce the rule of law.

Nevertheless, I had an experience that caused me to question my perceived safety and security. More on that experience in Part II of this ten part series of posts.

[gonzo]

Hi yerselves! .................................................................................................................. FRegards

[seekthetruth]

PLEASE keep me on your ping list! Looking forward to all of your upcoming posts!

[mcmuffin]

Good read(s).
Please put me on the ping list!