People Who Do Not RSVP

RSVP is an acronym for Répondez s’il vous plaît. It’s French for respond if you please. The literal translation to English gives the sense of ambiguity with the phrase if you please. It comes across this way only because of the grammatical structure of the French language. A true representation in English would be “please respond.” It’s not meant to translate if you feel like it. A response is always required … unless you are a self-absorbed asshole who doesn’t give a shit about being a decent human being.

I’m not quite sure when it became common place to ignore an RSVP? Actually … now that I think about it … I don’t think it’s ever become accepted to ignore an RSVP. Really, it just speaks volumes about a person’s lack of character when they ignore the RSVP!

The thing that pisses me off the most is the hypocrisy of some non-RSVP-ers. A person can ignore your RSVP numerous times but when they throw a get together and you don’t RSVP … they are outraged. An analogy would be a criminal who steals, knowing it’s wrong but still justifies their actions … and then when they are robbed, they get pissed.

It has never been easier to RSVP with the current technology … and people still don’t do it! Sure, in times past when you had to sit down, write out a response, find a stamp to put on the envelope and take it to the post office … it could be deemed laborious. Although it did not give you a legitimate excuse not to RSVP … it could be conceived that the person genuinely didn’t have the time to get it in the mail. Now you can RSVP on your phone … that you’re staring at for 18 fucking hours a day … and all that is required is clicking a button! It literally takes 3 seconds … and yet there are still people who don’t RSVP!

On a separate note … what is the maybe attending bullshit!? Make a fucking decision! If you click maybe what you are essentially saying is: “If nothing better comes up, I’ll come to your shitty party.”

Honestly, I don’t give a shit if you come or not …

… but I DO want to know how much food I have to get. I don’t want to end up with a refrigerator full of leftovers that I eventually have to throw out or be short on food if you fail to let me know you’re coming … and then show up!

Come on people! It’s never been easier to RSVP to an invite. Don’t be that person! If you’re worried about hurting someone’s feelings by not attending … don’t you think they’ll be more upset if you just never acknowledge their invite? If you don’t RSVP you’re basically saying to them that they’re not even worth 3 seconds of your time. That would sting more than you just not attending. Just saying …

A Women’s Problem

Before you start getting all riled up and start typing your angry tweets … holster your thumbs and just hear me out! I don’t want to get assaulted by every feminist in a 5o mile radius, so … let me state loud and clear … that I don’t think women’s problems are any less important than men’s problems. They are ~~usually~~ (oops! Sorry, Freudian slip … I’m JUST KIDDING, relax) just as valid and deserve our full attention.

The issue I have … is talking about them! Women handle their problems much differently than men do. Giving her the support she’s seeking is a struggle for most men because when she has a problem, she just wants to talk about it … that’s all.

“He never listens. All he wants to do is solve my problem.”

Uh …. yeah! Isn’t that what you’re supposed to do when you have a problem!? When men have a problem they define the problem, brainstorm solutions, decide the best solution and then implement the solution to solve the problem. Every man reading this currently is saying “Exactly!” … and every woman reading this is sighing with disappointment.

Ladies … we’re sorry. We just don’t understand your way of dealing with problems! Women define problems in broader terms and examine a wider array of potential factors before going into solution mode … if solution mode is ever even a destination. Men, by nature, are problem solvers. It’s in our DNA. Our natural inclination is to solve a problem that we are presented. Granted, we don’t always implement the best solution … but we decide on a solution and do it. Women on the other hand just want to talk about a problem and aren’t really looking for a solution. Huh!? This makes absolutely NO sense to a man! When women have problems and they want to discuss them with a man … this can often lead to … let’s say … misunderstandings or hurt feelings.

In a man’s mind, if she is coming to me with her problem … she needs help solving it. I love this woman … so we are going to figure out a solution so she can move past it. In a woman’s mind, she is thinking that he loves me so I can talk to him about my problem and how I’m feeling.

Men … a piece of advice. The last word in the previous paragraph is what it’s really about. It’s not about the problem … it’s about her feelings.

Women … a piece of advice. Feelings are the lowest rung on the ladder of problem solving for a man. If you come to us with a problem, our natural inclination is to solve it … not talk about feelings.

I’ve been told that when a woman wants to talk to you about her problem that she is not always looking for an answer. What!? As much as I understand these words … the sentiment goes against every fiber of a man’s being. Believe me, for the sake of tranquility, I have tried to just listen and not give solutions … but it doesn’t feel natural! When men discuss problems with other men, if the other guy does not offer up a solution … it means he doesn’t give a shit. So, if I have a solution to your problem and don’t voice it … in my brain … I feel as if I’m humoring you and giving the appearance that I don’t care about your problem. This couldn’t be further from the truth. If I’m actively giving you solutions to your problem, it means I care. If I’m just listening and not giving any suggestions … it means I don’t give a shit.

It all just comes down to the differences between men and women.

As hard as I try to just listen when my wife talks to me about something that’s bothering her, I cannot stop from telling her what I think she should do. It gives me anxiety to just sit and listen without offering up solutions. Problems are meant to be solved … not discussed. This annoys the shit out of her (I know because she’s told me so!) and you would think that I would have learned by now … but it’s not a matter of learning. It’s just how men’s brains work.

Truth be told, I’ve succeeded in listening and not giving solutions a few times. My wife would argue this has never happened … but it did. I remember … because it took every ounce of my being to keep my mouth shut! Even though I had what I thought to be a perfect solution, I bit my tongue … hard! The few times I did this, I felt I came across apathetic … and not to mention anxious for sitting there with the answer and not giving it. Do you know how hard that is for a know-it-all, like myself!?

So, let’s recap. You present me with a problem that you have. I have (what I think) is a perfect solution. You don’t want to hear the solution. You just want to talk more about the problem. On what planet does this make any sense? Oh that’s right … Venus.

… one of the funniest things I’ve seen regarding the difference between men and women’s brains is by Mark Gungor. You can watch it here. It’s G rated … but it is hilarious!

Grocery Store Blocker

So what is a grocery store blocker you ask?

This is a person who blocks your access to something with their cart and doesn’t allow you to get something … until they are done. Now, I’m not talking about me being impatient waiting for someone to move so I can grab something. No, no, no. I’m talking about the person who deliberately and strategically uses their cart to block you.

Let me give you an example …

I wanted to get some steaks from the meat cooler. That’s the open topped refrigerated section that the prepackaged meat is sitting in (seen above). I go over and there is an asshole who has his cart length wise against the cooler, so the packages are out of my reach unless I’m going to be rude and reach across him … and for once … I’m trying to be polite. He is picking up every fucking package and inspecting it. He senses my impatience due to the death stare I’m now giving him and the intentional heavy sighs I’m emitting. He senses that I’m past being polite and I’m about to reach across and grab a package. He then starts piling the packages close to him … almost guarding them because he doesn’t know what package is going to be the “one” and doesn’t want me to grab any until he’s viewed them all. He quickly decides this package is the best one and puts it in his cart and scurries off. He left all the packages he fucked with against the edge in disarray. What a dick!

Another type of blocking …

A person who leaves their cart in the middle of the aisle while they walk off to look at something. Then when I come down the aisle, I have to patiently stop and wait for them to come back and move their cart … or I have to move it. I always pick the latter! I grab their cart and abruptly move it, frustrated by what an inconsiderate asshole this person is. This usually elicits a look of disbelief that I had the nerve to touch their cart. Uh … you better fucking believe it! Next time, don’t leave your cart in the middle of the fucking aisle asshole! Do you think you’re the only one shopping here!?

And the stores can be guilty of blocking also …

Quite honestly, I believe this is the worst. You are choosing now to stock your fucking shelves! Seriously!? You couldn’t do it when the store was closed!? And the employees never have their shit off to the side of the aisle. No! They always block almost an entire entrance to an aisle so you have to go all the way around to the other side to get what you need down the aisle. They bring huge carts out and won’t move them for you to get by. You do want my business, right!? Stock that shit after hours!

Costco Gas Line Etiquette

If you are one of the stupid people, like myself, who fill up their cars at the Costco Gasoline centers … you know how long the line can be.

You wait in the exceptionally long lines because usually you can save some money on gas. If you’re in a hurry … this is not the place you want to fill up. So you go with the understanding that you will sit in a line for a while until you get to the pump.

Now … let me preface this by saying I knew there was going to be a line … AND … I knew that I would be sitting there for a while … AND … I knew I should bring my patience and understanding … but even knowing that does not excuse the acts of stupidity of some people.

You were sitting in a line of cars, looking straight ahead and you didn’t notice the sign that reads: Please have your membership cards ready. You were sitting in that line for 20 minutes! Each time you looked up you couldn’t bother to read any of the signs staring you in the face? You didn’t think at any time to pull out your cards for the sake of efficiency and have them ready? Of course not! You were probably too busy looking at your fucking phone at the new cat videos all your single, lonely friends sent you! So you pull up to the pump and then have to rummage through your purse looking for your card. Meanwhile the people behind you are wondering what the fuck you’re doing and why you haven’t gotten your ass out of the car to start pumping gas.

Oh! Would you look at that! The gas door is on the other side. You didn’t know!? I know it’s not a new car by looking at the piece of shit … so I’m thinking you should know by now which side the gas door is on! Luckily the pumps have long hoses that will reach around … but you still can’t seem to make it work. So I watch you fuck around for 5 minutes trying to pull the hose over the car and get the nozzle in the hole. Every car has cycled out by now … except you!

You finally get it going and then you go back, sit down and start cleaning trash out of your car.

Seriously!? I can appreciate your multi-tasking … but I saw the handle click off minutes ago and you’re still cleaning your car out! Once you hear the click, you better get your fucking ass over to the nozzle and put it away. You don’t get to keep cleaning out your shit! There’s a line of cars waiting for you to move so they can fill up … dumb-ass!

Let me give you another piece of advice. After you finish pumping your gas:

Get in your car.
Start it immediately.
Drive the fuck out!

Don’t sit there and

put the cards back in your purse
look through your purse for a coupon
adjust your seat
adjust your mirror
find the song you want to listen to before driving
pull up directions on your navigation system

In case you forgot, there are 7,000 cars behind you that want to get on with their lives and you’re preventing that from happening!

I realize that I went there knowing I was going to have to wait but that doesn’t mean people get to take their sweet fucking time! How about being considerate to the people behind you! Be efficient people! Pull ahead and pull into a parking space to do whatever stupid shit you need to do. Don’t do it at the gas pump! Keep the line moving!

Open Mouth Chewers

I can’t think of any mother that did not tell their child a thousand times to chew with their mouth closed. In the event that you’re the one person who was never told this … I’m telling you now:

Nobody wants to see the slimy, half-eaten, nasty mess in your mouth while you’re eating … so close your fucking mouth while you chew!

Every kid is taught this. If you say you weren’t … you are a fucking liar! People who chew with their mouth open have made a conscious decision to no longer be human beings. I’m sure there are a myriad of reasons that may drive a person to decide that this is an acceptable behavior but I’m guessing the main one is a big “F.U.” to their mother for always nagging them about it.

“I’m an adult now and I can do what I want! So … I’m gonna chew with my mouth open and you can’t do anything about it!”

Yes … you are really getting back at Mom now, aren’t you!? Many of you can’t understand why you’re still single? Maybe because you eat like a fucking animal and no woman wants to be around that. Even Helen Keller would turn away in disgust!

Chewing with your mouth open has got to be one of the most disgusting behaviors I can think of. (Picking your nose and eating it is probably number one … and yes … people do that. I’ve witnessed it sitting at a stoplight. Apparently people don’t think we can see through a car window!?) Not only is viewing the masticated mess in your mouth disgusting but there’s a very good chance that half-chewed food particles will fly out of your mouth while chewing … and God knows where they’ll land. FYI … if you are sitting across from me at a dinner table … you sure as shit better chew with your mouth closed because if any food particles from your mouth land on my plate … we are going to have a problem!

Aside from the chance that half eaten food will fly out of your mouth, there is also the abhorrent sounds created by chewing with your mouth open. The slimy sound of the saliva enveloping the food. The obnoxiously loud crunching. The smacking of lips. People actually lose their shit over the sound of people eating with their mouth open. It’s called Misophonia. It’s a disorder in which certain sounds trigger emotional or physiological responses. People’s reactions can range from anger and annoyance to panic and the need to flee.

To my knowledge, I do not suffer from Misophonia because I don’t feel the need to flee. I DO have the urge to say:

“Close your mouth, you fucking pig! Watching you eat is making me lose my appetite!”

… but I think that’s just because I’m an intolerant asshole.

There are always some of you do-gooders who always want to try and defend someone or their actions and will say:

“Maybe the person’s nose is clogged and they can’t help it?”

My answer to you is …too fucking bad! Have some common decency for the rest of us and eat alone in your house if you can’t breath with your mouth closed. Why should everyone else have to be repulsed by your open mouth chewing because you’ve got a cold? Drink a fucking protein shake! Think of someone other than yourself … for once. If I have IBS, does that mean it’s alright for me to fart at the table while everyone’s eating? NO! You have to be considerate of other people.

Next time you’re eating, pay attention and determine if you are an open mouth chewer. If you discover you are … just know you’re an utter disappointment to your mother … and work on closing your fucking mouth when you eat.

Automated Faucets

These fucking things drive me up the wall! They never work! I put my hands under the faucet … nothing. I wave my hands around in the sink … nothing. I figure it’s broken and move over to the next one and then the previous one turns on. I move back over and put my hands under the running water … it turns off. I wave my hands around again … nothing!

I know I’m not the only one who this happens to because I’ve been in the restroom and seen other guys moving from sink to sink dealing with the same shit! Don’t get me wrong, I understand why businesses put them in. No one wants to get an enormous water bill because some asshole leaves the faucet running indefinitely but put some in that work … if there is such a thing!

As far as hygiene goes … they are a great idea! I’m not sure how much thought you’ve given to touching the handles of the faucet but … you can’t wash your hands before turning on the sink. Think that through for a second …

A little illustration in case you’re having a hard time understanding.

That’s right! Never thought of that, did you?

With the technology we have, why can’t they make these things work!? The fucking urinal sensor is set to ultra-sensitive and goes off multiple times spraying your junk with toilet water while you’re doing your business and the faucet sensor is set to the lowest sensitivity there is! It seems like these sensors should be switched. Has that thought eluded the engineers that created these things and a simpleton like me had to point it out!?

I don’t claim to be the sharpest knife in the set but it also seems like it would be smarter to put the sensor near the water outlet rather than the base. Why? When you put your hands under the faucet, you put them where the water is expected to come out. If the sensor was facing down next to the water outlet … it might actually work!

It’s not rocket science. I’m just saying …

The Death of Chivalry

Maybe I grew up in a different time … but I was raised to be chivalrous. For any young readers I might have, that don’t know what that term means, it dates back to ~~Medieval times~~ … sorry … Game of Thrones times.

The Code of Chivalry was a moral system which went beyond rules of combat and introduced the concept of Chivalrous conduct – qualities idealized by the Medieval knights such as bravery, courtesy, honor and great gallantry toward women. The Codes of chivalry also incorporated the notion of courtly love.

In layman’s term it’s similar to being a gentleman: things such as being polite, calm, and considerate:

The most common perception for a gentleman is a man who ensures that he is chivalrous towards women. The term attaches itself to men who are courteous and treat women with respect.

I have to say, I am so glad I am married and not dating in the current environment. The whole women’s empowerment thing currently going on is like a minefield for a guy. If he’s just trying to be nice, it could be received as condescending or sexist.

I can open my own door! Do you think I’m weak?
Why are you paying the bill!? Do you think I can’t afford my own meal?
What do you mean by … I look beautiful? Am I just a piece of meat to you?
Why do you have to drive!? Do you think you’re a better driver than I am?

The whole idea of what it means to be a “man” and chivalrous is changing because women’s attitudes are changing … and men don’t know how to act or what’s acceptable anymore. So unfortunately, guys treat women like they treat their buddies and personally, I think it’s a shame.

I was at the gas station recently filling up and looked over to see a guy sitting in the driver’s seat looking at his phone while his female passenger was out pumping gas. Now call me old-fashioned … but that is just wrong! I’m not saying a woman is incapable of pumping gas but if you are both there … come on man! Get your bitch-ass out of the car and pump the gas. I understand that I don’t know the whole story and maybe she wants to show that she is capable of doing it herself but you’re killing chivalry.

I’ve noticed on many occasions guys letting their women do everything. Maybe she wants to … I don’t know … but to me it appears like they feel important to have someone take care of them … like their mommy used to do. To me, they just look like boys … not men! Grow up and be a man! I know many of them think:

“Look! I’ve got her whipped and she does everything for me!”

… but I’ll bet you she’s just waiting for her Prince Charming to come and rescue her … because you’re not him!

Maybe, I’m wrong! I always thought women wanted someone who will take care of them. Maybe I DO have an outdated look on genders and the way they are perceived today. Maybe today’s woman doesn’t want someone who is going to take care of her? I can’t imagine why not, though. Who wouldn’t want someone taking care of them? Isn’t most people’s fantasy to win the lottery and have servants take care of you!?

I guess today’s woman doesn’t want to feel like they can’t do something … so they do everything themselves to prove that point. Although it may be empowering for women … it’s creating an unwanted side-effect. It’s creating a bunch of men who are self-centered and act like pussies.

Women … I don’t see anything wrong with letting someone take care of you … if you take care of them! It’s called division of labor. My wife cooks for me and she doesn’t have a problem doing so because if there is a problem with the car she knows she doesn’t have to deal with it and it’s going to be my problem. That probably seems so archaic to this generation and I’ll probably be accused of perpetuating an outdated stereotype but honestly … I’m fine with that! I think deep down, most women still want a man that will take care of them but can’t say that out loud for the fear of being chastised by the new feminist.

I can’t understand why men don’t continue this tradition regardless of the current societal outlook. Although some women want to kill it, I don’t see any harm in it. Acts of chivalry don’t mean a woman is weak. It means she is respected … and I don’t know how that idea got flipped? Obviously the way it’s displayed throughout the ages has changed because no guy today is going to take off his coat and put it down over a puddle of mud … but the idea is not outdated. Being chivalrous shows that you care about her and put her feelings before your own. I don’t see how that can be a bad thing in any way.

Although the current generation may see chivalry as an outdated, sexist, power play … I’m still going to open the door for my wife, pay for dinner, tell her how beautiful she is and drive when we are together because she is amazing and deserves to be treated like a Queen. I know … I’m a neanderthal.

Wearing Sunglasses Inside

Everybody has seen this douchebag at least once. The guy that comes inside and doesn’t remove his sunglasses. And I’m not talking about right away … I mean not at all. I say “his” and don’t use a generic pronoun because this is a guy thing. I have never seen a woman do this.

I’m not talking about someone who is wearing Transitions glasses. Those are the ones that darken when you are outside and then become clear when you come inside. No … I’m talking about straight sunglasses. For whatever reason, the offenders are usually wearing Oakley or Ray Ban sunglasses. Not always … but those seem to be the sunglass of choice for these assholes.

The cause for this … a gigantic, self-inflated ego. This person thinks they are a bad-ass and beyond cool. The sunglasses are part of the image they have created … and want to keep projecting that “image” whether outside or inside.

I recently stopped in to grab a bite to eat and the guy ordering in front of me proceeded to order his food while wearing his sunglasses. After ordering, he then stepped off to the side, found a wall to lean against and stood there waiting for his order … with his sunglasses on.

If you are the person starting to come up with excuses for this kind of behavior and trying to defend the person … just STOP! I’ve heard the light sensitivity excuse and it’s bullshit. The person I’m referring to has a certain look. They usually look like this:

and light sensitivity is not the reason they are wearing their sunglasses inside. They wear them inside because they think they are God’s Gift to Women and believe they are moments away from a woman throwing herself at his feet because he looks so “bitchin” with his glasses on! Are there women who fall for this shit!? I don’t think so because I always see this guy alone!

Guys who wear sunglasses indoors are douchebags! Plain and simple. Change my mind.

comments@todayspetpeeve.com

News Reporter’s Stupid Questions

Your child was brutally murdered and their body was chopped up, stuffed in a duffle bag and thrown into the lake …

“How do you feel right now?“

How the fuck do you think they feel!? Seriously!? That’s the question you shit out of your mouth to the person who just found out their loved one died a horrible death?

I understand as a reporter your job is to get the information about a story and report it but I don’t think there is anybody watching who’s wondering if they’re happy right now! I also understand that if the person you are interviewing is not speaking, you have to fill the silence but there has to be some other question you could ask that would not seem so obtuse.

Ask the person if they have anything to say to the person responsible for this horrific act. The producer better have their finger on the censor button … but I think it would be a better question. Or … how about don’t ask them a question at all. Just report the story and let them grieve.

Part of the problem is the set up before the question by the reporter. The person the tragedy befell may have processed the incident a little bit and is coming to grips with what has happened … and then the reporter describes again in great detail what happened before they ask their stupid question and make it all fresh in their mind again.

“You’re house just burned to the ground and is a pile of ashes. You’ve lost all your belongings. All your family photos are gone forever and I was told you let your insurance policy lapse. How do you feel right now?”

Just once I would love someone to turn to the reporter and say:

“How do you think I feel you stupid mother-fucker? Are you retarded? Why would you ask me a question like that!?”

The Gun Control Agenda

Before you get on your soapbox screaming the talking points you were spoon fed … just hear me out. The current rise in school shootings and random mass shootings are a problem. We, as a nation, need to address it. Nobody I’ve spoke with has argued that it’s not a problem. The only thing that people are arguing is how we go about solving it … and the gun control groups think too many guns are the problem.

There are roughly 327 million people in the United States. There are roughly 393 million guns in the United States. If you’re part of the gun control group you’re already forming your “there are more guns than people!?” comment … or … “why do we need so many guns!?” comment.

Okay, let’s look at that. First and foremost, it has to do with your outlook on guns. If you believe that guns are inherently evil then you can’t imagine why anyone would need a gun and if someone has to have one, they certainly don’t need more than one. Sometimes people own more than one of something. There’s a lot of people who own multiple cars. Is that ridiculous? Why do people scream about owning multiple guns and not multiple cars?

“Well … cars don’t kill people.“

You are absolutely right! Cars don’t kill people … it’s exactly the same with guns. I don’t know of a single gun that loaded itself and walked out and started shooting itself. And if you’re going to try to argue that cars don’t kill as many people as guns. You’re wrong. Nearly 1,250,000 people die in road crashes each year. Gun deaths are 33,000 per year. Why aren’t people screaming about outlawing cars? It’s not their agenda.

“Those are accidents and people didn’t intend to kill people.“

Really!? How many times do you hear of a person who killed someone because they were driving drunk? The answer is daily. 29 people die everyday from alcohol related car accidents. I think it’s safe to say that everyone knows you shouldn’t be driving while intoxicated … yet everyday people get behind the wheel drunk. That seems like intent to me and it causes 10,000 deaths annually.

So back to why are there more guns than people? Well, if you are a gun owner, it’s not unusual to own more than one gun. Much like cars, if you like them … you might want to own a few of them. If you’re anti-gun then there is no way you would understand that. By default, you think owning 1 gun is absurd … but other people don’t share that viewpoint and that’s what’s amazing about this country. People are allowed to have different opinions.

So I ask you … with more guns than people in the United States … there should be shootings on every corner, every day, correct? But there aren’t. Why not? Of the gun owning population, the majority are law abiding citizens. People own them so they can protect themselves. I’m not going to spew some bullshit fact about how guns are mostly used for hunting. They’re not! They’re mainly purchased for self-defense.

News Flash! There are a lot of bad people in the world. People who would not think twice about killing you for the $20 in your pocket. People want to feel like they can protect themselves in a society that seems to be deteriorating. If a person is breaking into your house with a gun, you don’t want to be confronting them with a bat. I think most people would agree.

“Banning assault rifles would lessen the amount injured.“

If a person is hellbent on destruction, assault rifle bans aren’t going to stop them from killing. Handguns can do just as much damage and they are easier to conceal. That argument is weak and misguided. You can buy 30 round magazines for a Glock.

“If there were no guns, then people wouldn’t have to worry about violent crimes.“

Really!? Recently a deranged asshole in Orange County went on a crime spree where he violently stabbed 6 people, killing 4 of them in one day before he was arrested. He didn’t have a gun and he was still able to kill 4 innocent people before he was caught. As much as people want to say guns are the issue … because they have an agenda they are pushing … the simple fact is that people are the problem. You can take away guns but then the psychopaths will just start using knives or explosives to kill others.

Guns are just a tool like anything else. Effective in the right hands and destructive in the wrong hands. Are we going to talk about outlawing kitchen knives now because of the above mentioned incident? Highly unlikely. Are we going to start banning cars because they cause 1.25 million deaths a year? Highly unlikely. So why the push for banning guns and nothing else? It’s people pushing an agenda and a much easier talking point than addressing the real fact that our society is creating a lot of fucked up crazy people and we don’t know why?

Everybody has their beliefs why people do these horrible things:

Violent video games – Really!? Millions of people play violent video games, so why aren’t there more people carrying out these horrendous tragedies.

Gay marriage – it’s deteriorating our society. If a gay person marries, it doesn’t affect your fucking life and certainly doesn’t give you the right to kill people because you don’t agree with their lifestyle.

Removing God from our schools – it’s a feel good statement for the religious right but John Wayne Gacy was a devout catholic and at age 18 thought about becoming a priest. Having religion in your schools and in your life is not a fail safe.

The simple fact is that people are the problem … not guns. There is just something wrong with certain people’s brains that drive them to do this shit and there seems to be more people with this defect lately.

I understand how traumatizing it can be when a mass shooting occurs but don’t go straight for the gun ban bullshit because it’s not the real problem. There are a lot of people with guns in the United States and 0.000005% use a gun to do these horrible acts. In 2018 there were 1,661 deaths attributed to mass shootings. That’s less than 1% of 1% of 1%. Understandably, 1 incident is too much but it’s a very, very small amount of our population that does this. So because of this small percentage … the 99.9% of law abiding citizens get their guns taken away. How about we focus on the small percentage with the problem instead.

Gun violence is traumatizing but do you think that the trauma felt by the stabbing victims and their families mentioned above is any less traumatizing because a knife was used instead of a gun? How traumatizing was it for the poor people who lost loved ones in the Oklahoma City bombing perpetrated by that asshole McVeigh. Guns were not used in either incident but nobody would argue that they weren’t as awful of a crime.

I know people want action or something done after something tragic occurs but passing some knee-jerk, half thought out law is not the answer. People are scared, I get it … but blindly backing people pushing an agenda is not the right way to go about solving the real issue of crazy people with no regard for their fellow man’s well being.

“Banning assault rifles will help.“

Fine, you want to ban assault rifles. Then murderers move to high capacity magazines for handguns. Ban the high capacity magazines. Okay, now they buy 50 regular magazines. Ban owning multiple magazines. Okay, now murderers bring multiple weapons to carry out their carnage. Make it so you can only own 1 gun. You can see the problem with this argument. It’s an infinite regress argument. Basically it just leads to no one owning guns and you can’t un-create guns. Criminals are going to have guns regardless of what laws you pass. The only ones you would be taking the guns away from would be the law abiding citizens who now would become easy targets for people who want to do bad things.

I don’t claim to have the answer to end the mass shootings that are occurring but I also know banning “assault rifles” is not going to end it. People can do just as much damage with a handgun as they can with a rifle. There are a plethora of instruments that one can cause mass killings with if someone is truly hellbent on doing it and that’s the problem … why do people want to kill innocent people?

The truth of the matter is there are an increasing amount of people in this country that suffer from mental issues and are losing their shit. And please don’t email me about how lots of people have mental issues and don’t shoot up stores. No shit! I know that. I’m not trying to disparage anyone going through mental health issues but some people who need treatment are not getting it and these terrible tragedies are the result.

I’m sure there are many of you after reading this who think that I’m just towing the NRA line. I’m not. I think background checks are a great idea but I don’t agree with the idea that we need to keep making useless laws to complicate things for 99.9% of hard working law abiding citizens. They are just trying to make sure they have some sort of protection from any crazy fucking person they may be unfortunate enough to encounter in their life. The numbers show that most people who own guns cause no problems. It’s the person who feels like killing people is the answer to their problems and we need to focus on finding out how to solve that mindset. Taking away guns does not fix that.