By Jan McCanless

How many more times do we have to read about somebody opening fire on innocent children, or firing at random into someone’s home, or knifing their poor grandmother or just acting threatening in general?

What has happened to common sense and common decency in this country? Have we all gone mad? Where is it written that we have the right to threaten others or shoot up a school building? Show me in the Constitution where it says you can take an assault rifle and blast away at whatever you want, whenever you want.

The Second Amendment was drafted in the 1700s by men who were in a precarious situation of trying to form a country yet remain steadfast and vigilant against the old country. It referred to being able to call to arms in time of national emergency. It did not make any mention of the fact that ordinary citizens can and should wreak havoc on the general populace. It did not say that if you are a misfit, unable to cope with your everyday problems, that you had the right to kill innocent children and bystanders.

Are you a misfit, unable to cope with everyday problems? Then, get help! Don’t take out your frustrations on your fellow man, people who are coping with their own set of problems. It’s time to grow up and accept responsibility for your life, most of which you direct yourself. If you’re not happy, then change your course and find a way to be happy.

I think one of the real problems in society is the great disconnect we have with our fellow man. I have observed people walking down the street playing with their phones, walking into obstacles or falling off a curb, simply because they are so engrossed in their electronic gizmo they fail to see the world around them.

There is no conversation going on, only texting; no interaction, only shorthand messages sent on the run. Meet people face to face, have a conversation with them, disconnect for a change and observe the world around you. It’s full of people, all of them members of someone’s family, a brother, sister, parent, or just a good friend.

Children sit at the dinner table and text instead of communicating with their parents, and parents are allowing it. Put the electronic gizmo down and listen, look and communicate. Who did you talk to before they were invented anyway?

Opioids are another hazard. Why should I pay for treatment of your weakness? Did someone hold a gun to your head and tell you to put that poison into your system? If not, then grow up and take responsibility for your own behavior. You don’t like what the opioids do to you, then get off them, seek help, but don’t lay the responsibility of your behavior on the general populace — we didn’t do it.

Put God back into our society and friendship, love and caring for one another. All these children out marching for gun control. God bless them, and God bless the adults who are with them. I hope and pray they can get something done about controlling guns. Notice, I said controlling guns — not eliminating them. Reasonable control and oversight are required in everything, including firearms, and they should never be sold to a minor.

It seems our elected officials are all indebted to the NRA for expensive gifts, trips and all manner of goods. In my day, it was called graft. No matter how you slice it, it’s still graft. I hope you voters remember this when you go to the polls; your child’s life, or yours, may depend on it.

Jan McCanless is a retired teacher and mystery author who lives in China Grove.