A very reasoned and well informed statement from actor Jason Alexander about the Aurora shootings.

I have to admit that I am suffering from a little Colorado shooting overload, and have turned off the news to give myself a break. However this statement from one of my favorite television actors, from one of my favorite television shows, managed to get through my filter.

It one of the best take downs of those pro-gun, NRA assholes who flip out everytime anybody even suggest that perhaps it is time to address the fact that there too many guns in this country, that I have ever seen.

Here judge for yourself:

This morning, I made a comment about how I do not understand people who support public ownership of assault style weapons like the AR-15 used in the Colorado massacre. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AR-15 

That comment, has of course, inspired a lot of feedback. There have been many tweets of agreement and sympathy but many, many more that have been challenging at the least, hostile and vitriolic at the worst. 

Clearly, the angry, threatened and threatening, hostile comments are coming from gun owners and gun advocates. Despite these massacres recurring and despite the 100,000 Americans that die every year due to domestic gun violence - these people see no value to even considering some kind of control as to what kinds of weapons are put in civilian hands. 

Many of them cite patriotism as their reason - true patriots support the Constitution adamantly and wholly. Constitution says citizens have the right to bear arms in order to maintain organized militias. I'm no constitutional scholar so here it is from the document itself: 

As passed by the Congress: 

"A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed." 

As ratified by the States and authenticated by Thomas Jefferson, Secretary of State: 

"A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed." 

So the patriots are correct, gun ownership is in the constitution - if you're in a well-regulated militia. 

Let's see what no less a statesman than Alexander Hamilton had to say about a militia: 

"A tolerable expertness in military movements is a business that requires time and practice. It is not a day, or even a week, that will suffice for the attainment of it. To oblige the great body of the yeomanry, and of the other classes of the citizens, to be under arms for the purpose of going through military exercises and evolutions, as often as might be necessary to acquire the degree of perfection which would entitle them to the character of a well-regulated militia, would be a real grievance to the people, and a serious public inconvenience and loss." 

Or from Merriam-Webster dictionary: 

Definition of MILITIA 

1 
a : a part of the organized armed forces of a country liable to call only in emergency 
b : a body of citizens organized for military service 

2 : the whole body of able-bodied male citizens declared by law as being subject to call to military service 

The advocates of guns who claim patriotism and the rights of the 2nd Amendment - are they in well-regulated militias? For the vast majority - the answer is no. 

Then I get messages from seemingly decent and intelligent people who offer things like: 

@BrooklynAvi: Guns should only be banned if violent crimes committed with tomatoes means we should ban tomatoes. 
OR @nysportsguys1: Drunk drivers kill, should we ban fast cars? I'm hoping that right after they hit send, they take a deep breath and realize that those arguments are completely specious. 

I believe tomatoes and cars have purposes other than killing. What purpose does an AR-15 serve to a sportsman that a more standard hunting rifle does not serve? Let's see - does it fire more rounds without reload? Yes. Does it fire farther and more accurately? Yes. Does it accommodate a more lethal payload? Yes. So basically, the purpose of an assault style weapon is to kill more stuff, more fully, faster and from further away. To achieve maximum lethality. Hardly the primary purpose of tomatoes and sports cars. 

There is much more, and if you liked this (And how could you not?) then feel free to click this link and read the rest.

This the conversation that we ALL should be having right now.  However as you have noticed virtually NO politician will address this in a serious manner, and only a few cable news stations are spending any real time on the issue. (MSNBC to name one.)

Here Alexander does the job that our leaders, and most of our media types, are too timid to take on.

Simply put there is NO fucking reason that most of the people in this country need to have a gun, none! And there is ABSOLUTELY no reason for a person living in this country to own an arsenal of weapons, I don't care HOW small your penis is!

And don't give me that "It's my right to bear arms" bullshit, because that just means you lack the reading comprehension required to understand the second amendment, and you are too stupid to read, you are too stupid to own a gun.

It is time for some serious, and by God I mean SERIOUS, gun control legislation to be introduced in this country. And just how many more innocent victims have to lose their lives before that takes place?

I and why isn't the loss of these lives enough?