I have a question for all the anti-gun folks out there trying to limit or otherwise take away our Second Amendment rights. (They base their reasons upon the actions of the terrible few who have decided to use guns to carry out horrid deeds). Why aren’t we banning sharks, aspirin, smartphones and stairs … just to name a few things? After all, these four entities have been involved in the deaths of countless innocent lives each and every year. Common sense calls for legislation, right?
Some Killer Stats
As a matter of fact, did you know that eight people have already died this year (2015) as a result of shark attacks? The Florida Museum of Natural History reported 118 incidents of shark-human interactions. And 80 of those incidents were confirmed cases of “unprovoked attacks.” That is defined as “incidents where an attack on a live human by a shark occurs in its natural habitat without human provocation of the shark.” Innocent humans, minding their own business … and those sharks attacked. Come on, people! Sharks are natural-born killers. And they scare the living daylights out of me. So we should just call them assault sharks from here on out and ban them. Who’s up for some much-needed, shark-free zones at all your favorite beaches?
Oh, and be sure to check your medicine cabinet. Available data suggests the dreaded aspirin kills about 800 people every year. That’s right. We pop 100 billion of these pills every year, but this “just-in-case” drug has mercilessly taken thousands of lives. (And don’t even get me started on acetaminophen.)
Beyond that, a common item in most of our homes and places of business may be next on the banned list. More than 30,000 people died in 2013 alone from accidental deaths due to falls. Almost 12,000 of those deaths were due to stair accidents. Bye-bye staircase and your evil intentions. We’re taking the super-safe elevator from now on.
What About Common Sense?
And your smartphone? It’s actually a dangerous weapon. Twelve people died in 2015 while posing for a selfie. These selfie-related deaths have been making headlines all year, most recently when a tourist fell down a set of stairs and died while trying to take a picture at the Taj Mahal. Other notable examples include a man who was killed by lightning (he had been carrying a metal selfie stick that attracted the deadly bolt); a couple who died after falling off a cliff in Portugal while getting a self-portrait with their smartphone; and a woman who climbed on top of a train for the “ultimate selfie,” only to be electrocuted to death.
I, for one, am fed up with these sharks, aspirin, smartphones and stairs. We should speak up — and speak out — and fight for common-sense legislation that bans these deadly items.
That, or we can use true common sense and stop doing stupid, dangerous or risky activities. We can use our brains, think for ourselves, be responsible, hold one another accountable for our actions and encourage others to do the same. Am I asking too much? Possibly. Am I being facetious? Definitely. But no matter what, I’m sticking to my guns — figuratively and literally — because taking away our Second Amendment rights won’t fix ”stupid.”
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