Guns: They’re Not Violent Enough אקדחים: לא מספיק אלימים

Yes, you read that title correctly; it’s the whole problem with automatic weapons. Before there were guns, if you wanted to inflict harm on someone, you had to get up close ‘n’ personal: You had to feel that knife sink in, you had to see that blood spurt out, stain your clothing, wash it off your hands.

Nowadays, with a gun, you can fire at someone across the room just because he looked at you funny, and it’s all no muss, no fuss. Clean-like. No blood. A gun > a trigger > it’s become an extension of the TV remote: “I don’t like you anymore. Zap. You’re gone”. Nice and consistent with our Instant Culture. No wonder we end up with the likes of Columbine.

Those of you who are anti-gun control tell me that lots of things can kill, not just guns. True, but think about it: I’ve never heard of a knife misfiring and hitting the wrong guy, or a tire iron accidentally discharging and killing someone across the room. Have you?