lucila soto

As with almost every matter worthy of reflection, worthy of losing sleep over, worthy of taking a stand for, it happens that much wiser, clever, resourceful and articulate women and men have thought of and write about before me with such depths and understanding as to which I will never be able to aspire achieving. This is why I’m beginning this short and concise diatribe regarding my own personal approach on guns, guns legislation, gun ownership, and gun making with words from two of those men.

Magnificent Haruki Murakami wrote in one of his awarded novels, Kafka on the Shore, the following paragraph explaining the Chekhov’s pistol narrative logic when writing a story:
“If a pistol appears in a story, eventually it’s got to be fired”. Necessity is an independent concept. It has different structure from logic, morals or meaning. It’s function lies entirely in the role it plays. What necessity requires DOES need to exist.”

Then, there’s this other quote taken from brutal and outstanding Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut:
“I have told my sons that they are not under any circumstances to take part in massacres, and that the news of massacres of enemies is not to fill them with satisfaction or glee.
I have also told them not to work for companies which make massacre machinery, and to express contempt for people who think we need machinery like that.”

I have -since always- loathed fire weapons for all they represent. The sheer idea of human conceptual and creative mind focusing its power of invention into a tool of destruction, of overpowering the Other, of death, makes me feel both ashamed and sad for the species as it portrays a decadent, uncivilized and stupid one. I am and always will be, against the use, ownership or existence of guns.

The concept behind a fire arm is simple: it has no other purpose than to kill. Its only use is to destroy -efficiently- making in the process as much damage as possible as to accomplish its aim with flawless perfection. Unlike a bow or a knife, which can be used for things other than killing, a gun’s one an only use is to kill or, if you fail at it, hurt or injure. You can not construct anything with a gun as its purpose is the opposite: destruction. So you see, you can’t even construct security or safety with it. A fire arm is then in principle a twisted concept, like torture machinery and tools, like gas chambers, like an atomic bomb, like the guillotine.

I do believe in the inevitably of cause an effect, I do believe that when you introduce a gun in the story it will be fired and that in firing a gun you will forever lose all that which makes you honest and rational; that which gives you integrity. If you’re one of those who believe in the right and need of having a gun, then, I have nothing but contempt for you.

You, being for or angst, should take a look to these:

Bowlng for Clumbine by Michael Moore (sorry, Portuguese version is te only one I could get.)

Michael Moore “We have to take care of each other.”