Robin Writes

Do you know why “gun violence” is a problem? Because of batshit crazy people, that’s why. Do you know why it’s a bigger problem now than, say, 20 or 50 or 100 years ago? Because there are more people—higher population equals a higher percentage of batshit crazy.

And do you know why it seems like ALL THE TIME there is a batshit crazy person shooting up the place? The Internet, that’s why.

We used to have news programs 2-3 times a day. Now it’s 24/7. Here’s an example—remember when, if there was a tornado coming, the news channels would broadcast that to let everyone know? And remember, too, when it was going to rain or a thunderstorm was expected, those news people would say, “Well, looks like rain and wind and lightning today, folks!”

And that was it.

Today, it’s “OMG, we’re in STORM MODE! Stay tuned while we interrupt all your favorite programming to tell you it’s RAINING!”

Doesn’t that tell you a single thing? We’re drama queens.

Particularly when it comes to social media—everyone wants to be “first.” You know how those annoying “first” comments used to pop up all the time? Now everyone wants to be the “first” to announce a MAJOR EVENT! JUST HAPPENED! OMG, look at me, I TOLD YOU FIRST!

Let’s break this down a bit more:

Why do people want to own and shoot an AR-15 which, by the way, is NOT an automatic weapon. It’s semi-auto—one pull of the trigger equals one shot. But why not just own a regular rifle or handgun?

Because it looks cool.

I kid you not. It’s the difference between a Mustang, for example, and a Taurus. They’ll both do the job, but one is really awesome.

And an AR-15 is NOT a military weapon. It’s modeled after one, the M-16. Remember when kids used to be allowed to play with toy guns? Even if they weren’t, of course, they’d still point fingers and yell, “Bang!” What did those toy guns look like? Real guns, amiright?

Of course, you may be so “progressive” that you didn’t allow your kids to play with toy guns. I have a friend like this—she has seven boys. They still pointed fingers and yelled, “Bang!”

On another note, a friend posted on social media—okay, several of them—that he wished that there was no more violence and hate in the world.

About that. We all would like that. Yes, even gun owners. But it will NOT HAPPEN.

First, you can’t legislate feelings, although you can outlaw acting on one’s feelings. This, by the way, is part of sane adulthood—not an oxymoron—you CAN FEEL whatever you want, but you simply don’t act on it.

It’s called responsibility.

Second, and most important, is that the world is full of sin—things like hate and violence—and those are simply not going away because one wishes it to be so. Or because one organizes marches or groups or sit-ins or protests.

Thanks to that whole kerfuffle with God, Satan, Adam, and Eve, this is the way things are. Sinful.

Oh, yes, I’m going there. Along with everyone else.

But here’s my question:

What about his mother? We haven’t heard a peep. Dad, yes; what an ass. But where’s Mom in all this? I think I might know something about that. Read on:

Dear Carleen—

I know this is your baby boy. And I know it’s hard. I’ve been there, in a way.

Welcome to reality.

As parents, we all like to think our kids are special or outstanding, and many of them are, in the eyes of the world as well as in our own. But our kids aren’t extensions of us, they are their own individuals. They will do what they’ve been taught, or sometimes they’ll do the opposite.

In your case, however, having read your husband’s statement, it sounds an awful like Brock was taught how to be a douche.

I didn’t teach my kid to be the way he is—you see, my son is a felon too. He was in trouble a lot, some of it legal trouble, before that felony was committed. And he always got off with a slap on the wrist. When he was finally taken down to juvie, I told the judge, when asked, that I couldn’t make the decision for my son to stay or to come home.

This was my boy, but he was violent and unpredictable and it was frightening. I didn’t know how else to answer the question, I just wanted my boy back, the real one, the one who was funny and sarcastic and had a lot of plans for his life.

So the judge sentenced him to three weeks. I doubt he has ever forgiven me for that. He was in and out of a few county jails before the “big one,” always just a slap on the wrist for misdemeanors, and then finally, it happened.

Felony charges and prison time. He was sentenced to four years for breaking a glass door at closed service station. Four years. He was out in a few months, forever changed and unable to do many things a non-convicted person is allowed to do.

Am I happy about that? Of course not! But this was something HE did, not me. If I could change it, I would, but this was the result of HIS choices. No one wants her son to be a felon.

I’ve never been the kind of mother who thinks her child is always innocent, and I know my kids are better adults because of that. If my kids were/are wronged, I’ll be the first one raising hell; but first, I’ll check the facts. I’m good at that.

I feel horrible about my son. I wish it wasn’t like this. I’m sure you feel the same.

But there’s a big difference between feeling and action. Your husband—I can barely manage to get the words out, but his letter was just SO MUCH BULLSHIT. And you, you haven’t refuted a thing, you haven’t commented on that at all. Or, for that matter, on any of this.

I just can’t help but think maybe, just maybe, you’re seeing your husband for the ass that he is and that you’re making plans to dump him. Because really, Carleen, what self-respecting person would allow another to speak for her in such a way? No, this isn’t because you’re a woman—I get all that “stand by your man” stuff, but this is just plain wrong.

Your son was wrong. You can still love him. You can still support him and try to help him, even knowing what he did. But to allow someone else, husband, father, whoever, to say that your poor boy has no appetite for snacks is just complete lunacy. To allow the phrase “20 minutes of action” to describe a violent and brutal rape, spoken or written by your partner, without comment, is simply sick.

Maybe you’re undergoing treatment and went away somewhere. I don’t know. No one seems to know. But I think I can speak for nearly everyone and say that unless you step up and speak up and distance yourself from this ass you’re married to, you’ll be forever painted with the same brush:

An absolutely terrible human being with no thought for that poor girl at all—a selfish person, with only a thought for the perpetrator of the crime, your son.

Sincerely,

A Mom