Gun Control?

I'm pro gun. I have a few, as does my family. My kids were taught and trained at a young age to properly handle a fireman arm and treat it with respect. I remember years ago, when my father took my daughter, who at the time was maybe 9-10 years old hunting. This was the year she shot her first deer, under supervision. I myself, am not a hunter but respected the fact that “Papaw” taught her correctly how to treat and operate a loaded weapon. I bring up this particular incident because as I recall, my wife, proudly posted a pic of our daughter, her Papaw, and the deer she shot on Facebook. Oh boy, the opinions and comments of strangers flooded in like a tsunami of uneducated hate and anger. “ How could you let your daughter do this”, “This is absurd, she's a child”. Oh, it went on and on. To the point of just being hilarious, because, if you know me, I don’t give a shit about what you think.  

If you don’t agree with the second amendment, I really can't argue with you. It’s a slippery slope. I do not believe everyone should have the right to carry a weapon, but how do you decipher good from bad. The amount of senseless violence due to guns is so high that it's tough to even publicly take a stance without causing an argument amongst friends and family. This is an argument that more than likely will never be resolved, at least in my lifetime.  

My reason for this particular rant is where does glorification stop, and some responsibility begin. I love Hip Hop; I have based my entire life on this culture. There is no Hip Hop without the mention of violence and with that comes guns. Some of the most iconic album covers have our favorite artists holding and brandishing a weapon of some sort. Dr Dre with a revolver to his head, KRS One holding the UZI looking out the window, Ice T with Darlene holding that shotgun, (looking sexy as fuck). The difference is, maybe because I'm older now, is that there was always a clear message in the music. Talking about violence to create awareness and in hopes it would stop one day verses, promoting it online in real time, like it was the next Mayweather fight, is completely two different things.  

I think by now it should be obvious that certain people have used rap music to glorify violence, specifically to increase the crime rate to capitalize on black youths going to prison in a privatized business that is the criminal penal system. If you are not aware of this, just do a simple google search. It's amazing what you learn if you actually read the article and not just the headlines.  

What should be the focus is the insane, terrorist behavior that is the youth in rap music. It's become common acceptable culture that is more interesting interviewing for views, than actually addressing it. A neighborly conversation is now, “Hey Steve, how is your morning.” “Great Tom, I clapped two opps as they circled the block, they won't catch me lacking” “Well done sir, make sure you post it on the gram and talk shit to the victims enemies to ensure they are angry enough to retaliate and keep this stupid beef alive for ever” “Of course I will, because if I don’t snap chat it, how would my one block radius of people I barely know, understand how gangster I am” “Your right Tom, keep ruining lives because you were insulted on Social Media, it's definitely worth it”  

It's hard to ignore the fact that every one of these young rappers or so-called gangsters, pose with guns bigger than them. With extended clips hanging out the end of their stolen pistol, it's a substitute for their lack of masculinity, confidence, and self-worth. If you have to carry a 30 round magazine in your pistol, you need to face the fact that you are an extremely insecure young man, that its ok you haven't had much sex yet, you can't fight for shit, and your more than likely going to kill everyone around you other than your intended target. Then you will spend the rest of your life in jail and all for what..... There's not even anything to say to that. All for what.  

I have no idea how to stop this nonsense. But some of your social media platforms and podcasts that only focus on the violence of these young men should probably take a look in the mirror. Not all checks are worth it. You have obviously built a successful platform, and yes, they are just telling their story, but there has to be some responsibility on your end as well to stop the Jerry Springer business model. Ask yourself, are you contributing to a solution or just profiting from the problem. A young kid from the hood lives more for social media acceptance than actual reality. So bragging about the only thing he knows, which is violence, on a platform that finally gives him the credibility he has been longing for, in his eyes, is worth dying for. But is it. Is it really worth dying for. Is this really any different than capitalizing on sending these same youths to prison. Instead of prison, they are being shot live on social media, just to increase someone's “following”. Again. Are you part of the problem, or part of the solution. Just my thoughts, and if I wasn’t clear before, I don’t give a shit what you think, this is my opinion.