John Moran: It’s not the gun, but the evil intent behind it
Gun definition: A man-invented mechanical device, neither good nor bad.
To protect human life, ward off immediate harm, defeat an invading enemy, help someone eat, keep government in check, to use in a sport – a gun is “good.”
To murder, threaten for stolen goods, defeat another country by force – a gun is “bad.”
The gun is neutral when not held in the hand. In a utopia, a gun is unnecessary and would never even have been invented. We all desire such a world, but the naive believe it can magically appear by passing more laws or just imagining or believing it. The wise understand that if there is even one evil man, there is the potential for harm and the necessity to defend one’s self, one’s family, one’s country. No normal person prefers guns to children’s lives, and they are as devastated by carnage as anyone. But these devices are a necessary evil in this messed up world.
Many are understandably frustrated that so many so-called solutions leave out allowing establishments like schools the ability to meet force with force and turn soft targets into hardened ones making a gunman think twice about launching an attack like we saw last week.
John Moran, Atwater
This story was originally published February 27, 2018 at 5:18 PM with the headline "John Moran: It’s not the gun, but the evil intent behind it."