My Take: It will be up to women to stop the gun violence madness
Years ago, our family made a great trip to the Golden State. California, there we went! An aunt of mine lives near San Jose, in Los Gatos. An obligatory trip for those of us “easterners” is the Winchester Mystery House in San Jose. For those who are unfamiliar with the story of this really rather interesting tourist attraction, please let me continue.
Sarah Winchester was the widow of the man who invented the Winchester rifle. The rifle was very good at its intended purpose. The purpose of the rifle at that point in time was to kill the buffalo, the food, clothing and shelter source for the Native Americans on the Great Plains in our Manifest Destiny. From sea to shining sea! The Spanish had already bequeathed the horse to both sides. We Europeans needed a technological advantage. Enter the Winchester rifle!
Sarah Winchester, the inventor’s widow, was a very, very rich woman. She did, however, lament the source of her earthly treasures. Apparently she knew she lived so well because others had suffered horrendously through its use. Like the Sackler family from Perdue Pharmaceutical? Guilt can be a powerful motivator. And yes, I have experienced this myself.
Sarah built a home in San Jose over 100 years ago. She believed she heard voices and felt the presence of spirits in the home. The spirits were of those who perished that she may live in grandeur. These spirits apparently told her that she had to continuously add on to the house. As such there are literally “stairways” to nowhere. Great job creation program for San Jose carpenters. Job security. It was, and is, quite interesting.
My point is? Sarah saw the damage and destruction her creation brought. She lived in guilt and sorrow for the rest of her life. Her answer to this guilt certainly did not alleviate the situation and life went on as normal in our westward expansion and drive. She did at least feel some responsibility for the awful consequences of her in your face wealth!
My fervent hope is that someone who benefits monetarily from the sale and manufacture of the weapons that kill school children will feel some guilt and remorse. The wives or kids of the politicos who want everyone armed to the teeth! Finally we will be done with “thoughts and prayers” and actually do something! Tall order, as one party seems to have adopted the messages of fear and disunity.
It will take women to finally end the madness. MADD. Mothers Against Drunk Driving. A Spike Lee movie had an underlying message that it would be women who would/could finally force men to rethink the violence. Or Maired MaGuire in Northern Ireland who, with two other beautiful Irish colleens, finally said enough to the Troubles in Ulster!
We will continue to get nowhere with McConnell, Grassley and all the other old, entrenched white guys in D.C. or even the male GOP members in Lansing. Sisters, mothers, wives, aunts, grandmothers, I beseech ye. Stand up and help us end the gun violence madness that we continue to ignore. Please!
— Jeff Raywood is a resident of Holland.
This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: My Take: It will be up to women to stop the gun violence madness
