Remember Aurora?

"If you live in America, you are four times more likely to be murdered than if you live in Britain, almost six times more likely than in Germany, and 13 times more likely than in Japan. These are simple facts on which all can agree; just as it is a simple fact that two-thirds of all murders in America involve guns, whereas in Britain the figure is under 10%. Beyond that, though, there is not a flicker of consensus in America about what to do about the grisly harvest that last year gathered in 9,000 lives."

- Picture, quote and article from The Economist

The Aurora massacre was sixty days ago today.

In the United States we live in a gun culture, we are the only such shooter nation in the first world. I personally believe that will never change. I think gun laws and the debate are useless while a majority of U.S. citizens support gun ownership. The debate in my opinion is a waste of breathe and of political capital. But that does not provide answers to the questions of why as a nation we feel so justified and righteous about slaughtering ourselves. 

The arguments of the NRA are infantile and self-serving. The second amendment does not guarantee the right to bear arms. But none of that matters, as I said, this is a gun-toting country and it always will be. So fine you get to keep your guns but slaughters like Aurora, Virginia Tech, Fort Hood and Columbine cannot be explained away with some pithy "if guns are outlawed only outlaws will have guns." That's lazy logic and you don't get to utter such mealy-mouthed crap while you have a gun strapped to your belt. 

If you bear arms you also need to bear the responsibility for the harm done by other gun owners, it is simply not enough to be an isolated responsible gun owner. You need to stand up to the reckless use of guns by others. Be a citizen not merely a smug individual. With freedom comes responsibility and I see very few gun owners taking on that burden.