I rarely react to the stupidity of posts upon Facebook.
I rarely react to the posts that people make which are political, economic, or philosophical. I am generous in spirit and allow people to have their own views on most things without affecting myself or mine.
I normally manage to ignore Facebook statuses which seem to me to be badly thought out, or self aggrandizing, or just plain daft.
I react to bad language - and if on my own pages - demand a retraction or delete - it is my profile and I will make sure that it stays "Family Friendly" in language.
I lament the deterioration of language into random and regular profanity and the smattering of expletives - indeed once thought about the misuse of the use of a coma and the misuse of the "F" word as having great similarities in modern language.... but ignore this upon other pages as they have the right to their own profile as I have the right to mine....
However - today I saw a post that said "If you support greater Gun Control then you can just Unfriend Me !"
This is two days after the USA suffered the greatest tragedy so far - with 59 dead and over 500 injured. Where a retired rich white gambler decided to take an arsenal of weapons into the 32nd floor of a hotel in Las Vegas and then shoot randomly down onto a Country and Western Open Air Concert .....
Multiple high powered automatic weapons - and weapons adapted to be automatic weapons - pre planned with cameras placed to check on the progress of the police as they tracked down the hotel room - apparently identified by the sprinkler system firing up due to the amount of cordite smoke form firing out of the windows..
He killed himself - at least saving a long court case to grandstand the rights of every US citizen to save the world with the power of a hand gun - but also meaning that no motive will ever be identified ...
And what does that mean ?? Well for one thing the NRA and various conservative gun toting groups are now setting claims for a conspiracy by the anti-gun lobby - stating that they probably set the whole thing up to put pressure upon the idea of reduction of guns or increased legislation, or making it harder for every person in the USA to buy what they want - when they want ...
I accept my bias.
As Chief Inspector in British Policing, I held a view that all citizens should demonstrate their responsibility as a citizen. If anyone wanted to possess a lethal weapon - whether for hobby, sport, fun, vermin disposal, or any other of the multitude of tick-boxes, then they had to demonstrate that they were responsible to a higher standard. Otherwise why would we place a lethal weapon in their hands?
As a result - I revoked shotgun and firearm licences whenever someone appeared in court, or received cautions for various offences. I was challenged.. "Why should driving while drunk affect the right for a shotgun?" Simple in my view - if you are happy to drive a car and risk the lives of yourself and other road users, then that means that you are incapable of safe use of a vehicle - so how can you be considered safe to use something that is designed to kill?
Same applied to Drunk and Disorder / public order offences / assault / domestic disputes.... Each suggest a lack of personal control - and why would I allow such a person to have access to something that kills as easily as pulling trigger .....
So I am biased. I have many shooting friends who hated my attitude. I forced a number of people into appealing and a certain number of them got the weapons back. It did not worry me... they probably would be a little more careful next time....
But I also was Silver Command for Firearm incidents. How many times did we arm up to deal with a depressed farmer with a small arsenal of weapons which were essential for farming - apparently !!
But tonight I saw the post .. "If you support greater Gun Control then you can just Unfriend Me !"
What was even sadder was the number of followers for this post which were applauding the attitude taken! "Go for it" "you are right" "Make US great again"....
But it was simple decision for me ... I unfriended the person .
It was simple - the only one I can remember "Unfriending".
I am pretty sanguine most of the time - but it was a quick hit..
The fact that it is a relation - well google is fairly loose on the subject of the son of my sister's husband's son by a previous marriage - apparently not a nephew - made it a little more difficult ..
but then - only for a second or two
Then Unfriended...
I am very comfortable with my decision
Cheers
and if only to declare that there is no limit to stupidity in the world
i love you!
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