Evil lives in all of us, of that I am certain. The good have filters, able to sift through madness knowing instinctively right from wrong. The bad have none. They wear their hatred openly in the guns they carry. They know their rights and that’s enough for them. To hell with ‘bleeding heart liberals’ who want to take them away. How dare they!
Who teaches this hatred? What atrocities can bring someone to this place of evil? What would this person have done if the gun laws were different? Stabbed people one by one in a grocery store before being stopped after the second victim? Poisoned the lemonade served to children in school? No, of course not. These are the things they don’t tell us. Why would they when their country allows purchase of assault rifles to murder innocents in a more expedient manner? 😡
Copyright © 2022 Christine Bolton - Poetry for Healing All Rights Reserved The 144 word limit for Prosery Monday was not enough to release the anger inside me for the ugliness I witness at an alarming rate in this country. It is as if we are at war with mankind. Such hatred for the innocents whether children or minorities. Lisa from Tao Talk is our host tonight for Prosery Monday at D'Verse Poets and she shared a very moving poem she found on Facebook about the slaughter of those young children in Uvalde, Texas. She picked one line from the poem and asked us to use it in our prosery tonight. “These are the things they don’t tell us” by Girl Du Jour, from Notes on Uvalde
Well done–an excellent essay.
But as for evil? Baring war and combat, military or police action, on my worst craziest day, and I have had many, never could I have used a gun (or anything else) to kill people I don’t know for no reason. I cannot even imagine killing any child, much less randomly in a school setting.
While I agree that we all have a dark side, evil is a strong word. But, perhaps you’re right.
Thanks Bill. I had originally written that we all have the devil in us but thought that sounded a bit weird. I changed it to evil at the last minute. I agree it is probably too strong a word. We have all had dark moments where we have imagined terrible things but thank goodness we know better that to act on them.
Thanks for reading and commenting ☺️
Yes, exactly!
Thanks Merril. I’m happy you agree ☺️
I do!
“The good have filters, able to sift through madness .”
Thanks for stopping by Tzvi ☺️
Christine, this is incredibly powerful … deserving of multiple reads.
Thank you so much Helen ☺️💕
Powerful! I agree assault rifles are a problem, but so are ghost guns. A school not far from where I live experienced a shooting with a ghost gun. The school resource officer survived, and no children were shot but it made me think of how we can legislate all these guns away, when you understand the ingenuity of people and their guns. It’s a tough problem.
Yes Tricia, I couldn’t agree more. I could have gone on and on about all the guns but 144 word limit harnessed my rant! It is a problem that I see never getting resolved. It’s more than a black eye on America, it has become a plague. 🥲
I think people’s hearts are starting to change though. I do believe some commonsense gun laws can be passed. ❤️🤞❤️
Let’s hope so Tricia ☺️🤞
This is how writing should be. Not a wishy washy balancing act, but banging the hand down on the table and saying how it is. Very well said Christine.
Thanks Ain. I appreciate your words. Sadly I live in a sick country where confusion exists between one’s rights and responsibilities.
Very powerful message
Thanks Sadje 😢
You’re welcome
Thank goodness our Australian Government under the leadership of the then PM John Howard banned these weapons from use following our tragic Port Arthur mass killings in 1996. Not everyone was happy but the amnesty saw a lot of firearms surrendered. I have farmer friends who have guns to humanely put down an animal if need be or deal with vermin which threatens the wellbeing of young stock which I accept as a country girl. But this right to bear arms and firearms which are akin to what military forces use is so unacceptable. Here’s hoping and praying for change now.
Yes Lynn. I saw the same decisions coming out of Canada last week. Of course you both have different constitutions that permit a government to make that necessary change. In the the USA it is different. I believe an amendment is possible but currently it would never receive the necessary votes needed. You can’t even get them to at least change the age limit at this point. It has become such a sick society.
Installation of filters will be an achievement, even if we can’t erase it completely.
I’m not sure that even possible at this point Reena. 😢
Your essay brings up so much about human nature that is ugly and indisputable. Besides the actual acts, it is that arrogance and sense of entitlement that nobody seems to have the courage to curb that nauseates me the most. The elected “prostitutes” of the NRA that nobody seems to want to vote out of office. WHY?????
Yes Lisa I couldn’t agree more. To me the most nauseating response from the likes of Ted Cruz et al to critics of this country’s gun laws is “Guns don’t kill people’. People kill people” Then I have to ask “Then why on earth do you need to own a gun?” Especially an assault rifle.
If there is a need for an assault rifle it isn’t a healthy or appropriate one.
Honest and powerful Christine
https://youtu.be/cXsg03xiUoU
Thank you Ivor for your comment and the video. Yes, we the innocent have a right to live before a “right to bear arms”.
You’re welcome Christine