Guns, violence and nine-year-olds.

Isn't it time that reasonable and sane Americans take a stand against the gut-toting, red-neck mayhem in our country?

After a weekend of violence, including the death of an innocent nine year old killed by a mentally unbalanced 22-year old who apparently had a grudge against his congresswoman, isn't it time for us to do something about the weak enforcement and lack of regulation in our gun laws?

And now, because of this incident, other congress people are going to start "packing" in order to protect themselves. In England, even the law-enforcing constables do not carry fire-arms. Could the reason for that be that these weapons often go off in the hands of maniacs, killing six and wounding twelve or more innocent by-standers? The UK has what is believed to be some of the strictest firearms legislation in the world (and what I understand to be the fewest deaths by guns in the world.) I am not suggesting we follow the UK; however, we might consider modifying our own laws and attitudes.

Not allowing fire-arms at political rallies would be a good place to start. During his campaign effort to unseat Arizona newly re-elected senator Gabrielle Giffords in November (yes, she who was shot through the brain and still hanging on to life at this moment) , Republican challenger Jesse Kelly urged supporters to help remove Giffords from office and suggested they join him in shooting a fully loaded M-16 rifle (presumably, in the air, not in order to harm anyone). Still. . . ( http>//inyourfaceradio.net/?=3158)

Kelly is a former Marine who served in Iraq (bless him) and was apparently eager to have himself photographed in full military gear holding his automatic weapon to promote the event as well as his political virility, the point of which (I guess) was to show that we are still a country of frontiersmen who have the "right" to protect our family from "injuns," or "outlaws" from shooting up and stealing our homesteads out from under us in the wild, wild, west.

Come on folks. We are supposed to be civilized now -- there are no more frontiers, no more wild west.

There have been people who voice inflammatory comments but we are still a country of free speech and I agree with their right to say whatever they wish to say. Palin's cross-hairs on the map is not the cause of this atrocity, but it feeds the zeitgeist which gives ideas to the mentally unstable and when the unbalanced can go out and buy a gun, the combination can be deadly and we have just seen.

Is that what people want? I think not. I think most people simply want their voices to be heard, their opinions to be considered just as Congresswoman Giffords was allowing them to do at the Safeway Market in Tucson. They have their issues with government -- yes, so do I.

We have a corrupt and incompetent congress that has been supported by greed as well as a lazy, ignorant citizenry. Of course we're angry. But it is the fault of every single one of us in this country that this tragic event even took place.

We not only encourage incivility on the cable news shows, we reward networks who air blood-curdling TV dramas and movies of such considerable violence, that even I, a grown woman, have to walk out of the theatre in disgust and nausea. Guns are wielded on every channel -- try flicking across the networks one evening during prime time and you will witness a gun -- being discharged against someone or being used as a threat against someone -- guns on TV are as common as tasteless advertisements.

Is this what we're about now? Our gun laws are ludicrous! Why does the average gun owner need assault rifles anyway? If most states do not allow them for game-hunting, then of what use are they? Why can't we exert some pressure (laws) on the people who sell guns willy-nilly at the gun/sports shows. I'm convinced police unions across the country would welcome having fewer assault weapons and high capacity ammunition clips available on the streets.

Now that our government representatives are threatening to carry firearms into our state and federal institutions, we will have reverted to a state of anarchy, brandishing fire-arms at the slightest accidental injustice: an altercation in a bar, a domestic argument, an unintended insult or a unrequited love affair. Anytime someone has a grudge, no matter how minor, we can always pull out our Glock 9mm and take our shot.

We, the leaders of the free world, have become a society of barbarians, with a tribal and neolithic mentality, ruled not by law but by the fastest draw.

To hell with political correctness. I am ashamed of us.

Sic transit gloria. Sic transit the United States of America.