United Liberty

Seattle is having a very rough time right now.  They have experienced more murders so far this year than they did all last year.  Police are looking for answers, and Deputy Police Chief Nick Metz has something - not someone - to blame.

Seattle police officials Tuesday said the outbreak of violence through Memorial Day weekend and since the beginning of the year has more to do with guns than with gangs.

Deputy Police Chief Nick Metz and Assistant Chief for Operations Paul McDonagh said that, while gang activity has played a role in the jump in homicides this year — 15 to date compared with 21 in all of 2011 — the common denominator is the use of firearms.

“A person who has a gun is more likely to use a gun,” Metz said after the weekly council briefing.

Frankly, there are things I would like to say to Metz that don’t really belong on this kind of website.  For the record, this was published yesterday with no mention of the six more that were killed at the Racer Cafe.

I was informed this morning that one of the dead who’s identity hasn’t been officially released was Kimberly Layfield.  That name means nothing to most of you, but it sure as hell means a lot to me.  Kim was a very special friend.  We went to high school together and were pretty tight in those days, over 20 years ago.  I lost touch with her after I joined the Navy, but thanks to the internet, I caught up with her several years ago.  It was like old times.  There is something like a .001% chance it’s not her though, and I still pray it’s not, but I’m not holding my breath.

Then, this morning, I learn from her best friend that she’s dead.  She was shot by a maniac who seemed intent on killing people. For a split second, I wondered if my position on guns was the right one, but that quickly passed.  You see, just one law abiding person with a gun in that cafe, and my friend might be alive right now.  Just one honest citizen with the means and will to act, and a whole lot of my friends wouldn’t be mourning with Kim’s family right now.

However, tools like Metz think it’s easier to blame the impliment used rather than look at the whole picture.

Guns are a tool.  Nothing more, nothing less.  What would Metz do if Seattle was experiencing a high level of DUI related deaths?  Blame the car? Blame the alcohol?

In every single instance of violence where a gun is used, there is a person using it.  That is there the blame lies.

Every year, an estimated 2.5 million people protect themselves from harm with a firearm.  That tells me that guns aren’t exactly a problem, but a tool that can be used for good or ill.  Metz’s comment that, “A person who has a gun is more likely to use a gun,” is absolutely ridiculous…unless by “use”, he means fire it at places like gun ranges.  If that’s the case, then most of my gun owning friends “use” their guns.  However, that’s definitely not what Metz is implying.

No, he’s implying that if you have a gun, you’re far more likely to kill someone.  It’s typical statist BS that tries to paint law abiding citizens as potential mad men and women who could snap at any moment.

I wish I could tell Metz what I really think of his attitude.  Decorum, however, won’t permit me to.