We refer to the conservative movement as "pro-birth", not "pro-life". As long as you are born, they don't care if you are starving, have no access to health care, or are shot by high-powered weapons for being at the wrong place at the wrong time, even if it is in your school or place of worship.
I carried that very weapon—an M16A2 and later the M4, military cousins to the AR-15—for over two decades. I trained with it, qualified with it, cleaned it blindfolded, and knew precisely what it could do. I was expected to use it if the balloon went up, if we had to repel borders or return fire in a hostile theater. That weapon has one job: to kill human beings efficiently. Not suppress, not scare, not defend. Kill.
And it does that job exceptionally well.
Let me be blunt. This weapon was designed to tear through bodies, not punch holes. The round isn’t some polite full-metal jacket that you could maybe repurpose for target shooting or deer season. It’s a high-velocity, tumbling round that shreds tissue, bounces off bone, and turns organs into soup. I don’t say that to be dramatic. I say it as someone who knows what it looks like when it hits a human body.
You don’t take that into the woods for venison. You don’t mount it over the fireplace to show off Grandpa’s war relics. You sure as hell don’t keep it in the hall closet for “home defense,” unless your plan is to reduce your living room to drywall confetti and get your neighbors’ kid killed through the wall.
This whole fantasy of the armed civilian rising up in a red dawn moment to defend freedom with their trusty rifle? It’s a cosplay. A deadly one. And more often than not, it ends with that same civilian either shooting themselves in the foot, being outgunned by someone better trained, or—more commonly—getting themselves or someone else killed before the so-called enemy ever shows up. If they ever do. Which they won’t. Because they’re imaginary.
Let me say it plain: There is no rational, defensible reason for a civilian to own an AR-15. None. Every argument I’ve ever heard in its favor is either fantasy, delusion, or an NRA fever dream designed to keep people scared, armed, and stupid.
Self-defense? A shotgun or pistol is more effective in close quarters and less likely to take out the neighbor’s cat.
Hunting? The meat’s ruined. Congrats, you turned a 12-point buck into red oatmeal.
Tyranny? You already lost. The government has drones and satellites. Your big play is hiding behind a shed with a camo hat and Facebook memes?
These arguments are so specious, they practically glitter.
Meanwhile, children are dying. Women are dying. Worshippers, shoppers, teenagers in school cafeterias—they’re bleeding out in seconds while we argue over whether the Second Amendment includes the right to be a walking war crime.
And the same folks clutching rosaries and crowing about “pro-life” values are the ones making sure those rifles stay on shelves, stay in hands, stay loaded. They’ll fight to save the unborn but turn a blind eye when that same child is shot dead in a classroom a decade later.
The hypocrisy would be hilarious if it weren’t soaked in blood.
I’ve seen what these weapons do. And I’ve seen what people become when they’re lied to long enough about what liberty means. We are not safer with these weapons in our homes. We are not freer. We are one press of the trigger away from being another headline that vanishes by lunchtime.
This isn’t a difference of opinion. This is a difference between those of us who’ve seen what killing really looks like—and those who’ve only seen it in movies.
So no, Conservatives, you don’t get to wrap yourself in the flag and cradle a weapon of war while calling yourself pro-life.
Thank you, Mr Alonso, and for such an informed and articulate essay on the absurdity of weapons of war being credited with the ability to make life safer. If only those who need a new perspective would listen long enough to gain a bit of insight. There is simply no accounting for so many closed minds and hearts.
I’m afraid no one was ever wrestled into wisdom. Minds don’t open under siege, they open in stillness, or not at all. Never was there a more useless tool than argument when discussing gun control.
A story this morning on NPR said the shooter, a former football player, left a note asking that his brain be used for CTE research. Trump in the past has complained about rules to try to lessen injuries among pro players., preferring a wild violent game for the vicarious pleasure and profit. Whether the adrenaline hit of big powerful guns, or the adrenaline hit of watching young (often non-white) men wreck their bodies and brains to provide entertainment, this shooting will indeed be buried faster than the victims for what it says about our culture.
Not surprising that this will fall on the deaf ears of the religious right - when, in their eyes, it's acceptable to starve an entire nation - individual people, individual children of some loving mother - to death. What a horrible image this starvation puts in my mind! And other commenters above have said what I've always said, that the religious right "pro-lifers" are not pro life, but merely pro birthers. I'm almost hyper-ventilating thinking about just how far gone we are in our corrupted values as a nation. How the HELL do we reverse this?
The headline I saw referring to this tragedy was from a member of Congress: " We don't need more gun control, we need more idiot control." And my first thought was: starting with the person who made that comment! Then...perhaps if we could just keep guns away from idiots? Knowing full well that the GOP will push more guns and less control.
Oh it is a sacred right to them alright. I come from a hunting family, and I can never recall a single time a military semi automatic was used for game animals. The bird or deer would be blown to bits. But yet they will insist they need them for protection. From who? I had a MAGA tell me both Obama and Biden took their guns away from them, and I asked if they showed up in person to do that and did Trump then mail the guns back to them both times?? Lots of angry harrumphing and “well that’s what they were saying on Fox!”….
Amen. No one needs a military style weapon except the military. The number of mass shootings went way down when the law banning assault weapons was in place. Of course the GOP sought to repeal it from the time it was passed. Unfortunately it had a sunset clause and was not renewed. To me the availability of these weapons is in conflict with the teachings of Jesus. Our legislature in NC is trying to override a veto of permitless weapons purchases. They keep making it easier for folk to by weapons. We have more guns than people in this country. I am seriously sick and tired of thoughts and prayers. If it was really meant they would actually curb the availablility of military weapons. An 18 year old can buy an assault rifle but not a mixed drink at a bar. Perhaps that is a good thing but he or she should not be able to buy the rifle either as they lack the emotional maturity to use good judgment. The love of guns is one of the roots of evil in our society along with the love of money.
If "thoughts and prayers" were of any use, this major problem in our society would have ended a long time ago, as well as many others. I take that phrase to mean "I don't care enough to do anything about it except make myself feel better. I don't want to get my hands dirty doing something about it.
The dichotomy of saying you are pro life and for automatic weapons is blatantly so hypocritical. I am a pro choice practicing Catholic. There are many of us. We understand the many nuances of women’s health care and the many dangerous ramifications of not providing it. Also we know these weapons should only be used in war. No need anywhere else.
I come to praise the messenger not to shoot him. Thank you John for keeping us focused on the victims and the horrible, horrible political corruption that allows these murders to take place.
And now NC Republicans have overridden the governors veto of allowing armed teachers in private schools. Hopefully any deaths that arise from this law result in lawsuits that then result in the shut down of said private schools that are sucking money from the public schools. Republicans are dragging this country down a hole of hell.
It is a little ironic that the “right to bear arms” was originally necessary so people could fight for democracy and against monarchies. Now the gun nuts are fighting for the monarchy! Make it make sense!
Republicans are not Pro-Life as evidenced by abandoning children after birth. There should be no hungry kids in America...none. With that philosophy, then it follows shooting people is also not Pro-Life. Goes hand in hand. The Second Amendment was in answer to the fear of slave rebellions. Since Republicans refuse to recognize our history, why would they believe in the sanctity of life? Remember the starving children,
We refer to the conservative movement as "pro-birth", not "pro-life". As long as you are born, they don't care if you are starving, have no access to health care, or are shot by high-powered weapons for being at the wrong place at the wrong time, even if it is in your school or place of worship.
Absolutely right.
I carried that very weapon—an M16A2 and later the M4, military cousins to the AR-15—for over two decades. I trained with it, qualified with it, cleaned it blindfolded, and knew precisely what it could do. I was expected to use it if the balloon went up, if we had to repel borders or return fire in a hostile theater. That weapon has one job: to kill human beings efficiently. Not suppress, not scare, not defend. Kill.
And it does that job exceptionally well.
Let me be blunt. This weapon was designed to tear through bodies, not punch holes. The round isn’t some polite full-metal jacket that you could maybe repurpose for target shooting or deer season. It’s a high-velocity, tumbling round that shreds tissue, bounces off bone, and turns organs into soup. I don’t say that to be dramatic. I say it as someone who knows what it looks like when it hits a human body.
You don’t take that into the woods for venison. You don’t mount it over the fireplace to show off Grandpa’s war relics. You sure as hell don’t keep it in the hall closet for “home defense,” unless your plan is to reduce your living room to drywall confetti and get your neighbors’ kid killed through the wall.
This whole fantasy of the armed civilian rising up in a red dawn moment to defend freedom with their trusty rifle? It’s a cosplay. A deadly one. And more often than not, it ends with that same civilian either shooting themselves in the foot, being outgunned by someone better trained, or—more commonly—getting themselves or someone else killed before the so-called enemy ever shows up. If they ever do. Which they won’t. Because they’re imaginary.
Let me say it plain: There is no rational, defensible reason for a civilian to own an AR-15. None. Every argument I’ve ever heard in its favor is either fantasy, delusion, or an NRA fever dream designed to keep people scared, armed, and stupid.
Self-defense? A shotgun or pistol is more effective in close quarters and less likely to take out the neighbor’s cat.
Hunting? The meat’s ruined. Congrats, you turned a 12-point buck into red oatmeal.
Tyranny? You already lost. The government has drones and satellites. Your big play is hiding behind a shed with a camo hat and Facebook memes?
These arguments are so specious, they practically glitter.
Meanwhile, children are dying. Women are dying. Worshippers, shoppers, teenagers in school cafeterias—they’re bleeding out in seconds while we argue over whether the Second Amendment includes the right to be a walking war crime.
And the same folks clutching rosaries and crowing about “pro-life” values are the ones making sure those rifles stay on shelves, stay in hands, stay loaded. They’ll fight to save the unborn but turn a blind eye when that same child is shot dead in a classroom a decade later.
The hypocrisy would be hilarious if it weren’t soaked in blood.
I’ve seen what these weapons do. And I’ve seen what people become when they’re lied to long enough about what liberty means. We are not safer with these weapons in our homes. We are not freer. We are one press of the trigger away from being another headline that vanishes by lunchtime.
This isn’t a difference of opinion. This is a difference between those of us who’ve seen what killing really looks like—and those who’ve only seen it in movies.
So no, Conservatives, you don’t get to wrap yourself in the flag and cradle a weapon of war while calling yourself pro-life.
You are neither.
Thank you, Mr Alonso, and for such an informed and articulate essay on the absurdity of weapons of war being credited with the ability to make life safer. If only those who need a new perspective would listen long enough to gain a bit of insight. There is simply no accounting for so many closed minds and hearts.
I’m afraid no one was ever wrestled into wisdom. Minds don’t open under siege, they open in stillness, or not at all. Never was there a more useless tool than argument when discussing gun control.
Dude!
Oh, but they can, because one of those statements (The pro-life one) is a complete and utter lie.
A story this morning on NPR said the shooter, a former football player, left a note asking that his brain be used for CTE research. Trump in the past has complained about rules to try to lessen injuries among pro players., preferring a wild violent game for the vicarious pleasure and profit. Whether the adrenaline hit of big powerful guns, or the adrenaline hit of watching young (often non-white) men wreck their bodies and brains to provide entertainment, this shooting will indeed be buried faster than the victims for what it says about our culture.
Not surprising that this will fall on the deaf ears of the religious right - when, in their eyes, it's acceptable to starve an entire nation - individual people, individual children of some loving mother - to death. What a horrible image this starvation puts in my mind! And other commenters above have said what I've always said, that the religious right "pro-lifers" are not pro life, but merely pro birthers. I'm almost hyper-ventilating thinking about just how far gone we are in our corrupted values as a nation. How the HELL do we reverse this?
The headline I saw referring to this tragedy was from a member of Congress: " We don't need more gun control, we need more idiot control." And my first thought was: starting with the person who made that comment! Then...perhaps if we could just keep guns away from idiots? Knowing full well that the GOP will push more guns and less control.
Oh it is a sacred right to them alright. I come from a hunting family, and I can never recall a single time a military semi automatic was used for game animals. The bird or deer would be blown to bits. But yet they will insist they need them for protection. From who? I had a MAGA tell me both Obama and Biden took their guns away from them, and I asked if they showed up in person to do that and did Trump then mail the guns back to them both times?? Lots of angry harrumphing and “well that’s what they were saying on Fox!”….
Amen. No one needs a military style weapon except the military. The number of mass shootings went way down when the law banning assault weapons was in place. Of course the GOP sought to repeal it from the time it was passed. Unfortunately it had a sunset clause and was not renewed. To me the availability of these weapons is in conflict with the teachings of Jesus. Our legislature in NC is trying to override a veto of permitless weapons purchases. They keep making it easier for folk to by weapons. We have more guns than people in this country. I am seriously sick and tired of thoughts and prayers. If it was really meant they would actually curb the availablility of military weapons. An 18 year old can buy an assault rifle but not a mixed drink at a bar. Perhaps that is a good thing but he or she should not be able to buy the rifle either as they lack the emotional maturity to use good judgment. The love of guns is one of the roots of evil in our society along with the love of money.
If "thoughts and prayers" were of any use, this major problem in our society would have ended a long time ago, as well as many others. I take that phrase to mean "I don't care enough to do anything about it except make myself feel better. I don't want to get my hands dirty doing something about it.
" Harsh? No, I don't think so.
I'm not on board with the military having them either. Can't we still dream of peace through negotiation?
The dichotomy of saying you are pro life and for automatic weapons is blatantly so hypocritical. I am a pro choice practicing Catholic. There are many of us. We understand the many nuances of women’s health care and the many dangerous ramifications of not providing it. Also we know these weapons should only be used in war. No need anywhere else.
"Pro-life" from conception to birth. After that you're on your own!
There's NO reason for any civilian ro own or use military grade weapons. NONE.
It will never end until an. Unstoppable majority takes over both houses and the potus so that all of the laws allowing such carnage are removed.
I come to praise the messenger not to shoot him. Thank you John for keeping us focused on the victims and the horrible, horrible political corruption that allows these murders to take place.
And now NC Republicans have overridden the governors veto of allowing armed teachers in private schools. Hopefully any deaths that arise from this law result in lawsuits that then result in the shut down of said private schools that are sucking money from the public schools. Republicans are dragging this country down a hole of hell.
It is a little ironic that the “right to bear arms” was originally necessary so people could fight for democracy and against monarchies. Now the gun nuts are fighting for the monarchy! Make it make sense!
Republicans are not Pro-Life as evidenced by abandoning children after birth. There should be no hungry kids in America...none. With that philosophy, then it follows shooting people is also not Pro-Life. Goes hand in hand. The Second Amendment was in answer to the fear of slave rebellions. Since Republicans refuse to recognize our history, why would they believe in the sanctity of life? Remember the starving children,