Wednesday, January 29, 2014

The American media and how we view gun violence

The American media and how we view gun violence

To The Editor: 1/28/2014
Keith Kent
Templeton

To The Editor:

Why is it that we have become a nation of people that just take what they hear on the evening news as informational holy gospel, and do not take the time to check the validity of statistics, records, and available empirical data? The answer is simply, it is easier to lackadaisically absorb what you hear, rather than burn a few mental calories and do even just a small amount of research to become a better informed citizen.

How many citizens believe that “school shootings are a newer phenomenon?” If you do, you are sadly a much uninformed citizen. These cowardly and disgusting acts recorded on our very soil date back all the way to 1760’s when an attack using muskets became the first recorded event turning firearms on innocent children on our soil. 

The list of these unthinkable acts is at your fingertips if you simply go to the information giant Wikipedia on the internet and in your search type “list of school shootings.” If you have the courage to simply read, you will find that in some way, shape, or from these events have happened here through the passage of centuries.


In this past year of 2013, the State of Colorado passed sweeping new gun laws. Just like the National Assault Weapons Ban that existed as legislation from September 13, 1994 through 09/13/2004, it accomplished absolutely nothing, but the taking away of rights of the law abiding citizen.

The proof is right there in front of you if you’re willing to exercise your mind and look for it. The tragedy of Columbine H.S. in Colorado took place on April 20, 1999. The Assault Weapons Ban accomplished nothing.  Now with the recent passage of sweeping laws in that same state, you just had the horrific school shooting at Arapahoe High School in Centennial, Colorado.

This time, the assailant who was just 12 years old, used a shotgun. Under the new laws in Colorado, all magazines that held over ten rounds effectively became illegal, stripping yet more rights from the law abiding citizens. This time, the child used a shotgun.

This raises the question. What do we do next, outlaw shotguns? Some of our agenda driven politicians and media mogul's would practically dive at the chance if given. However tragic as they are, these events no matter how sad and horrific in nature continue to prove one thing, “you cannot legislate the evil or mentally insane.”

Let us move the discussion to a more local area in New England. We are all aware of the nightmare of circumstances that took place at the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut. The legislator’s answers, outlaw the sale of all new assault weapons, and ban magazines over ten rounds. Did this even stop school gun violence in CT, I think not.

Where was our agenda driven media when a 14 year old boy was shot in New Haven, CT at the Hillhouse High School Athletic Facility this past January 13 of this year? Sadly, this event was given very little media coverage as politicians in CT did not want to have to explain that their new sweeping laws had no effect on yet another criminal act, other than once again stripping the rights of the law abiding citizen.  

Now here in Massachusetts, there are 61 articles of gun legislation up for voting soon this year of which if one takes the time to read, 58 take away rights from the law abiding citizen. Once again, this involves taking the time to read.

Our great nation has suffered a complete breakdown of the family unit, frowned upon the peaceful teachings of religion like they are an intellectual abomination, and fostered an informational society of agenda driven propaganda. Our fellow citizens need to start relying on personal research, and not the half- truths they receive on evening television.

While some who read this will hate the message, they should look at the person in the mirror and ask themselves, “Why do I take their words on television as gospel, and not research it for myself?”

In closing I find it sad how all these Hollywood types claim to be anti-gun and for children when the first movie they released after the Sandy Hood Tragedy was titled, “Bullet to the Head” with Sylvester Stallone. The information is right there at your fingertips, but first you have to be willing to burn a few calories from the neck up and commit yourself to due diligence. A society of educated free thinkers is what made our nation great. Let us not become a one of mindless automatons.

Are you up for the challenge of doing your own research that is available to you, or has the truth about the break down of the family unit and our national mental health care system become to frightening to contemplate?  

Keith Kent
Templeton


11 comments:

  1. Wackos with guns is the problem. As we just witnessed.

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  4. Down hear on the lower forty we believe in the second amendment as a god given right. In a purfect world nobody would need to protect himself or his family from people who would do harm. We don't live in a purfect world.

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  5. I, for one, do not see the point of posting a bunch of irrelevant "news" on this site. All this crap is available at multiple sites elsewhere. I thought this site was to discuss the issues of Templeton and Templeton politics.
    Lately we've seen too much National and Regional news having little or no relevance to the issues we face here in Templeton. Everything from "911 conspiracy " to the "monks making beer". All this extraneous stuff dilutes the issues that people are interested in.
    Also what's up with all those deleted posts? All sides deserve to be heard here, even if it offends some people who control this site. If you can't take a bit of criticism, too bad. I do not feel the "moderators" should be deciding who gets to say what on this site. I found it quite interesting that Mr. Bennet's LTE was posted here,but Mr. Columbus' last LTE was conveniently ignored. If I can't see comments from everyone, then this site has become useless.
    Also it seems that certain people make constant accusations and insults at the Water/Light department. Why is this tolerated but not the insults hurled by "The Truth" and some others?
    At a BOS meeting someone asked me why I have not been on the blog recently.....THIS is why. If I want to see "one sided reporting", I'll read the GSnews.
    Thats my .02

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    1. Tom, Sorry you are not happy with how the blog is run. Everything does not get on the blog, due to the busy lives of the people who place items on the blog run. This is hardly a paid position, so things are taken care of as best we can. If you consider this site useless that is unfortunate but you have a right to your opinion. It is my opinion that the Templeton Light and Water Department has failed the people of this town and that will be hard to ignore as time goes on. I have no problem with the blog written by Mr. Kent, so if you do that is your opinion. I welcome residents with different ideas or opinions to the blog, and found his blog about the American Media and gun control refreshing, but unfortunately true. My father always had a gun or two in the house. I was taught to shoot a gun, but I am not fond of them. People have the right to hunt, but no one needs a gun that can fire a hundred bullets in a heart beat to kill a deer. In video games people can shoot a gun at a make believe person and they will pop up in the end, only to play again. It is not like that in life and I feel that these games make people immune to the real consequences of shooting a gun in real life. I am sorry we cannot make everyone happy, but we do do our best. Bev.

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    2. Beverly, You miss the whole point. I am not speaking about gun control, I am speaking about free speech. I did not say the moderators were paid. I simply am suggesting equal representation, even if YOU do not like what is being said. I have seen your "warnings" to certain anon posters and I think they are inappropriate. Unless they are patently slanderous they should be left alone. And you are as guilty as anyone else vis-a-vis your rant about a certain individual's "ass crack", whom you clearly identified by using initials which was a cheap shot. I notice that THAT did not get deleted. How convenient.
      'Nuff said, I don't plan to debate it. I have said my peace.

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    3. Free speech is a gift that we give our worse enemies so that we may have it for ourselves.

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    4. Looking at the heading just above which reads:

      "My Name is Paul H Cosentino. I started this Blog in 2011 because of what I believe to be wrongdoings in town government. This Blog is to keep the citizens of Templeton informed. It is also for the citizens of Templeton to post their comments and concerns." It is my opinion the spirit of the heading is not just the first sentence but the whole phrase taken together. I see the meaning of this blog "This Blog is to keep the citizen's of Templeton informed" as a tool to try to reduce the ignorance that abounds not only with myself but with my fellow citizens in both town and world issues. The last sentence in Pauly's opening statement reads: "It is also for the citizens of Templeton to post their comments and concerns". In my opinion Sewer Rates and band uniforms certainly are important but so is the possibility that 9/11 was an inside job. Shedding light on truth where you find it seems like good politics to me. This is Pauly's Blog and as such he is the one who ultimately decides on what the rules are, not the ones who complain the most, although in most instances, the squeaky wheel gets the grease. I have enjoyed coming to this blog to discuss both town and world issues and hope others do as well.

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    5. Ok Tom, Do you really want to know about that blog ? Well this is the truth. It bothered me after I wrote it. As a matter of fact, I got up about three in the morning and almost deleted it. I didn't and you are right, maybe I should have. I do apologize to anyone I offended because it was not nice, and I knew it when I wrote it. The next morning, I told Bart it scared me because I was getting as bad as some of the people who blog on this site at times. I guess it is not in my makeup to be nasty but after the meeting at Light and Water, I think I was at the end of my rope. I pretty much do not warn anyone about their blogs or even delete them, but there comes a time when enough is enough. If you do not agree with a person's opinion, that is fine, offer your own and why. I have seen enough of Julie getting abuse because of reasons other than what is relevant on this blog. It does not bother her but it does bother me and plenty of other people who have said they have had enough. As it stands, I will listen to the people who do not like this behavior and if it is out of line, and over the top, poof they are gone. Bev.

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