Greetings from the Big Sky Country.
For those of you who would prefer to listen to the podcast, just click the player at the top of the page. For the rest of you, keep reading.
Thank you, Mark. And thank you for stopping by to listen.
This is Episode 61 “We Can Stop the Killing”
I’ve got a question for you.
Why do we tolerate it?
It doesn't have to be this way.
We CAN stop the killing.
We hold the power.
Yet, we permit these deadly weapons because some believe it's their 'right' to possess them.
A right?
People are losing their lives.
Don’t those people have rights too?
Sure, we have supposed protections in place. Those who wish to use these weapons are required to pass government checks and obtain a special license. But the grim reality is — people are still dying.
Unnecessarily.
We could put an end to it.
All we need to do is ban these weapons.
Now, I live in Montana, where owning one of these weapons is commonplace. Some even own more than one.
But the politicians are too fearful to challenge what people have always considered their inherent right.
The Numbers
How many casualties are needed to spur change?
Each year, these weapons claim the lives of over 36,000 people in the United States.
Does anyone care?
These weapons are the primary cause of death for individuals aged 5 to 29.
Do you care?
There is a thriving nationwide market for these weapons, with various types and models available. Regardless of the make or model, they all share a lethal potential.
It's time to align our hearts and minds with reality.
It’s time to enforce a ban.
Some Facts to Share
Consider these incidents:
On January 26, 2017, a man plowed his Dodge Challenger into a crowd during a protest in Charlottesville, Virginia, killing one and injuring 19.
On April 8, 2023, a man in Times Square, New York City, turned his 2014 Honda Accord into a weapon of mass destruction, claiming one life and injuring 22 others.
On October 27, 2018, a man used his red SUV as a weapon, driving into a crowd watching a Halloween parade, killing 6 and injuring 62.
On May 24, 2016, a man in Isla Vista, California, drove his BMW 3 Series into a group, resulting in six fatalities and 14 injuries.
What was the common factor in all these tragic events?
The answer is clear.
A car.
The Answer
The car is indeed a weapon and must be banned.
Demand that your politicians remove cars from national life.
If there were no cars on the road, we could prevent over 36,000 deaths and avert more than 2.3 million injuries every year.
Every year.
All it takes is the willingness to act.
We can stop the killing.
Ban cars!
Imagine a World With No Cars
Imagine a world with no cars. No gas-guzzlers. No electric vehicles. None.
What could be better than that?
You want to go somewhere?
No problem.
Walk.
Walk to work.
Walk to school.
Walk to the store.
Walk to visit family or friends.
Just imagine all the lives that would be saved.
And imagine all the money you would save.
No car payments, no insurance payments, no repair costs, no gas costs, no electric charging costs.
Imagine …
Oh, wait a minute.
No cars?
As in none?
Oh. We might have a little problem here.
Getting to Work
I used to live 10 miles outside of town. I was wondering how long would it take me to walk ten miles to get to work? So, I asked Google Bard.
“It depends on your walking pace. A brisk walker can walk 10 miles in about 2 hours and 30 minutes. A leisurely walker might take 3 hours or more. If you're carrying a heavy backpack, it will take you longer. And if you're walking uphill, it will take even longer.”
Google Bard
That means it would take me 6 hours a day just to get to work and get back home. That doesn’t sound like such a good plan. and it doesn’t take into account the snow and blizzards that are fairly common during winter in Montana.
That may be a problem.
Visiting Family
And then there’s that visiting family thing that some people like to do.
One of my daughters lives about two hours away from us and we try to visit several times a year.
It is a little over 100 miles between our homes.
If I didn’t have a car, how long would it take my wife and I to walk there?
I asked my friend Google Bard, who replied …
“If you are walking at a brisk pace of 3 miles per hour, it would take you about 35 hours to walk 106.4 miles. However, this is just an estimate and the actual time it takes will vary depending on a number of factors, such as your fitness level, the terrain you are walking on, and the weather conditions.”
Google Bard
A 35 hour walk?
We love our daughter and her family, but a 35 hour walk probably means we won’t be visiting… ever.
A Trip to the Hospital
Oh, and then there’s the time …
Last November I had a medical incident.
I felt a problem in my chest, jumped in my car and made it to the emergency room in just a couple of minutes.
The doctor would tell me later the medical incident was called a “widow maker” and I had survived because I made it to the hospital so quickly.
But what if I didn’t have a car at my disposal?
The hospital was only about a mile and a half away. That doesn’t sound too bad. Surely things would have worked out well.
So, I asked my buddy how long it would take to walk to the hospital.
“A brisk walker can walk 1.5 miles in about 30 minutes. A leisurely walker might take 45 minutes or more.”
Google Bard
I’m not sure if I would be walking briskly or leisurely while experiencing a “widow maker,” but for some reason, I don’t think it would have turned out well.
Rethinking
Perhaps this getting rid of cars thing isn’t such a great idea.
In fact, perhaps … it’s a really stupid idea.
Maybe having a car is a good thing.
We need to be careful how we use it.
But a car is a very useful item to have.
We should NOT ban them.
Yeah, I think I’ll go with that.
Forget what I said earlier in this episode.
I’m keeping my car.
I recommend that you keep yours also.
I’ve included links to some items I found interesting recently. They all hover around the field of science and you might find them interesting.
“Fake scientific papers are alarmingly common” by Jeffrey Brainard. May 9, 2023. An interesting look at the results of a “publish or perish” mindset many scientists feel compelled to pursue.
“Science is Imploding” by David Strom. The author says that the use of Randomized Clinical Trials (RCTs) has been ignored as science seeks to confirm the views of the latest political theories. May 9, 2023.
“On targeting a university president for the thoughtcrime of questioning how well mRNA shots work” by Alex Berenson. May 3, 2023. Shares the cost anyone faces who even appears to question approved views.
Before I go I’d like to share a blessing with you from the Old Testament.
“May the Lord bless and protect you; may the Lord’s face radiate with joy because of you; may he be gracious to you, show you his favor, and give you his peace.”
Numbers 6:24-26 (The Living Bible)
Until next time … be the reason someone smiles today!
Clint
We Can Stop the Killing