On gun control and freedom of choice.....

Well so much for a "decent interval" before the start of the great gun control debate. Phooey.

When the AIDS "epidemic" began hitting it's stride were gay baths banned throughout the nation? Were new blue laws against unnatural sex acts voted on? Nope.

Same with the obesity "epidemic" (and how is it an epidemic, does someone go to bed one night supermodel thin and wake up the next day looking like Shamu?). I know theres a big push to ban trans fatty foods in some cities and schools but other than that is anyone being fined for carrying a concealed Twinkie?

Smoking is still legal, heavily regulated, banned in most public venues and preached against endlessly, but still legal. No legislation outlawing tobacco is being considered. The right of an individual to exercise their own judgment is still recognized.

And thats the key, the right to choose. We have that right and like all others, when you exercise it there will be consequences.

You want to smoke like a furnace? It's your right, even if you'll be in a cancer ward someday.

Wanna eat like there's no tomorrow and you're trying to catch up to yesterday? Have a ball tubby, but you'll become a prime candidate for diabetes, stroke, heart disease and crazy one-legged whalers with bad eyesight.

Wanna lay pipe where God never intended it to go? Okay, but when you look like a resident of Auschwitz I hope you've got a will made out.

And these consquences aren't confined to the individual. Die young and your family DOES suffer. Get a long term illness and you'll be one reason a lot of healthier individuals pay higher insurance premiums. We as a society accept that though. We accept these consequences rather than infringe on the rights of others to choose to be damned fools.

So why does gun ownership become the new boogey man? I shouldn't say new, the antigunners have been preaching for years. But its becoming one of the more fashionable causes these days.

Seems to me education in the area of prevention is used against those other choices, why not here? Why not be taught how to safely handle a gun? Be shown very graphic photos of what happens when you don't (similar to the movies I had to watch for Drivers Ed back in the 60's). Educate and then let everyone choose as they wish, isn't "freedom of choice" one of the great rallying cries of the liberals?

If education is the key for fighting these entirely avoidable conditions then lets use the same thinking regarding guns. If my daughter will one day be fitting condoms on cucumbers and bannanas (and that'll give little girls unrealistic expectations! Boy, are those kids in for a disappointment!) why not have her trained in gun safety also? If the nanny staters really want to make the world safe for the children lets teach the little darlings how to safely use firearms. Lets stop demonizing anyone who likes to pop off a few rounds at a tin can or go out hunting Bambi (never did like that movie).

"Here's the facts, here's the way to prevent the negative consequences. We totally support your right to choose, we suspend all judgment, have a nice day".

If that attitude is okay with everything else why not gun ownership? Maybe they're afraid too many will do exactly what they encourage, i.e. exercise the right to make a choice.

Better yet, let's take all the education regarding personal behavior out of the hands of our elected officials and school administrators and give it back to parents.

But that would be a REALLY radical idea!