October 4, 2017 BRIDGE OVER TROUBLED WATERS

The Second Amendment needs to reviewed and changed to REFLECT THE TIMES WE ARE LIVING IN:

*10/1/17--58 KILLED approximately 537 injured--Las Vegas Country Music Festival
*6/12/16--49 KILLED approximately 50 injured--Night club in Orlando
*12/2/15--14 KILLED wounded unknown--Employee gathering in San Bernardino
*6/17/15--9 KILLED wounded unknown--Church in South Carolina
*12/14/12--26 KILLED--wounded unknown--Sandy Hook Elementary School
*7/20/12--12 KILLED--wounded unknown--Movie Theatre in Colorado
*4/16/07--32 KILLED --wounded unknown--Virginia Tech

THIS IS A PARTIAL LIST--SO COMMON THESE DAYS THAT WE ALL JUST SHAKE OUR HEADS THEN PUT IT OUT OF OUR MINDS--POWERLESS TO STOP IT.
IS THERE NO END TO THIS INSANITY?? WHEN ARE PEOPLE GOING TO CARE MORE ABOUT PEOPLE--LESS ABOUT MONEY??
BECAUSE IT'S ALL ABOUT THE MONEY!

*The economic impact in 2016 of the firearms and ammunition industry in the United States was $42.9 BILLION DOLLARS.
*In 2016 the NRA spent 4 MILLION on lobbying/contributions to politicians.
*The NRA spent 30 MILLION to help TRUMP get elected.
*The NRA is one of the most POWERFUL interest groups in politics.
*The NRA is 5 MILLION members strong and growing.
*The NRA is so powerful that POLITICIANS ARE AFRAID OF THEM--the NRA can make or break careers.

Add these facts together and--THE PEOPLE WITH THE MONEY WIN--AGAIN.
WHERE ARE THE VOICES OF REASON?? At least I can still count on David McCullough when the chips are down. McCullough is one of the most honored historians in American history. He just wrote a wonderful book to remind Americans what makes our country special. It's called The American Spirit Who We Are and What We Stand For. This little nugget should be required reading for all Americans as it is a humbling look at where we came from and where we as a country are going. McCullough looks back at our history as he discusses some of his most important speeches--he has spoken before Congress, the White House, as well as colleges and institutions across the United States. He is urging the American public to look beyond political parties--go back to what made America great--and what continues to make us uniquely American today. AND he knows what he's talking about. This is  a man who has won two National Book Awards, two Pulitzer Prizes, two Francis Parkman Prizes, the National Book Foundation American Letters Award, the National Humanities Medal, The Gold Medal for Biography AND 54 honorary degrees. He has spent his life writing about our Nation's history so take some time to read this book. It's actually quite short--only 160 pages or a 3 mile run that will inspire you to greatness.