This week was ok, I got lots done at work. That happens when the boss is away. She was back yesterday, I kind of got in shit for speaking my mind on an event which happened early in the day.
Apparently I upset someone...no not at the FD. It was like I had something to do with what happened. Part of my job is monitoring media.....so guess what story I stumbled across.
I work in a politically correct place - no need for explanations right?
The person complained and then the boss said I shouldn't discuss cases, due to privacy. I was trying to figure out whose privacy I had violated.
Anyway, the event. I have some feeling about this, as y'all do. First off, I live in Canada. I have taken weapons training, in the military and for an FAC (Firearms Acquisition Certificate), despite being horrible playing video games, I get pretty good groupings on a target. For the FAC, you have to take a course and then a medical exam; and I think there was a police report, I forget.
So what does being Canadian have to do with this. Well we have a different kind of respect for guns. I was speaking with some Fire guys today and I said if a handgun was sitting on the table, like a cell phone. I wouldn't matter what wee were talking about, all the guys would check that thing out, every 2 seconds. I think we would think about it more than sex. I have a feeling our American cousins would ignore it, its just a thing....or it wouldn't be the only one on the table.
Our reality is different, not better. I keep getting knives every year from the fire department. It is getting to the point I think I have one in every coat. I never think one is there until I go to a bar and the bouncer pats you down....for knives. The bars don't post signs for no knives, they just don't want them in there. Their rules. I usually have to go back to the car and put it in there. Oh well. It is there more a tool, there is one in my bunker gear, never know when you'd need one.
Americans have guns on them, or in their car. They never think they are there. In the back of their minds they know they are there, like me with my knives. But it is not on the top of their minds. We Canadians look the same, act the same and some Americans think we are a branch office. They cross the border, with their forgotten about (you can say it the Canuck way, cause its relevant) gun. Then the CBSA guy asks if you have any weapons, the elevator goes up and your face gives you away. A nicer CBSA guy would let you return to America and park your gun someplace. A not so nice guy will cause you more pain then you ever thought possible. Not so much physical, but financial and legal. Don't even think of lying to them.
When I was on trip to New Orleans I went to a bar in Memphis with a a No Guns sign on the door. A couple of days later I was at a gas station in Mississippi, I was behind a guy in line with a handgun, in a holster, on his hip. I stared at it, its a Canadian thing. When I go back outside I saw the plate on his vehicle, he was a Law Enforcement Officer, from Louisiana (I was 100 miles from there). His son (about 7 was dressed the same, except the gun). I guess they were out for a tour.
Our cops carry guns, tasers and a whole pile of other stuff (running must be a bitch!). But we are used to it, we don't tend to stare them down, it may lead to problems. But to tell the truth I would not have to want to wear a weapon for work. I write reports for my job, I have deadlines and usually I am writing away after hours the day before. I don't want to be writing a report for every time I discharged something. It's just me.
So back to 'The Event' - I am not sure a person in Canada, except on Halloween, would be able to get too far wearing body armour and carrying (in Connecticut's' case) 4 weapons. The cops would be called pretty fast. You may get tackled. I hate to say this but we would be like the Norwegians, looking at the gun....frozen.
To Americans we are weird, they could not imagine living here with no handguns. When you own one, you have to store the weapons in a different place than ammunition. You have to have a travel certificate to take it with you in a car. Again, bullets one place and the gun someplace else (cuts down on serious road rage!).
We are naive, we cannot imagine going someplace where everyone is armed - like a ski hill or the French Quarter getting totally blitzed. I'd be nervous about where gun was, all the time.
The reality has to change in the US, there is no reason for AR15's in a citizen's hands. A Marine friend posted that if the government were to go rogue, they'd come at you with more shit than you could imagine and your M16's and AR15's would mean nothing. I would think that they are cool looking, but useless for hunting.
Enough about that.
I go my hair cut today, it was quiet in the shop. Only one other guy in there. When he was finished he went to a mirror over a sink and started messing with his hair. After 10 minutes, I was done, he was still messing. I was paying and the manager asked my haircutter, 'What's with that guy?'
Today I volunteered to collect food for the Food Bank, again. I didn't volunteer, but someone thought I did, so I was voluntold by a Deputy Chief. It was fun, I think I got more people to donate.
Well that's that. I pray for the families that were directly impacted by the shooter. I also pray for the classmates and their families. There is going to be a lot of counselling needed in order to let these youngsters lead normal lives. This Christmas is screwed for them though.
Like all the rest, I will not honour any of them by saying their name. This is a decision I came to after John Lennon was killed. That person became nameless - all the rest have joined him.
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