You should know that I started this blog to detail my adventures. But, I am finding more increasingly, that my adventures often entail emotional experience, rather than “real life.” This blog wasn’t started to combat, or to argue. It was started to inspire. To better us (and, realistically, to better myself, as writing often does). And so I find that I cannot stay silent on any matter that plagues me. Because the things I feel are a part of this wild heart of life are things we all subscribe to. I won’t apologize again for getting political. I won’t apologize, because my heart is no longer sorry for wanting to create a world more beautiful than the one in which we live.
I have been a proud member of the NRA for many years. After Orlando, I did not renew my membership. I did not renew, not because I do not believe in Second Amendment Rights, but because I do not believe in the shameless taking of a human life. These terms are NOT synonymous. Make no mistake, the few do not define the whole. But they have the propensity to make it far worse, as all action does.
So, I’m posting the letter that I wrote to Wayne LaPierre, who I do not think is a bad man by any stretch. Just a man who, perhaps, has not felt enough sadness on this matter. After all, all we are is an accumulation of experience. And every man’s is different. For those who have not felt the sorrow, they must listen to the ones who have. It takes effort, but that effort is not for want. (Edit: this letter is not all inclusive. There are other, more personal family stories regarding gun violence that I am respectfully declining to post upon a public outlet.)
Mr. LaPierre,
I fully support our Second Amendment rights. I want to acknowledge that, right off the bat. I am a supporter of our right to own guns.
That being said, I have, or rather, do not have, a grandfather. I do not have him because he was so stricken with depression that he took his own life, when I was only two. I have never known the presence of a grandfather in my life. I gaze, longingly, at photographs, but that is not the same thing as a pair of hands to hold me. I wonder if you miss a thing like that. If you ever did. It would have meant the world to me to have another man in my life–but, I never got that chance.
I dated a man once, who’s AR15 would sit beside him in the bed each night. One night, I jumped onto the bed and landed on it, felt the rigid shape of its mass dig into my spine. Quite realistically, I’m lucky to be alive. He was careless, and, I won’t go into detail, but he had no business owning a thing such as that.
Mr. LaPierre, please do not ask me again to renew my membership. Not until I see you thinking of lives over rights. Of individuals over statistics. When you can acknowledge that mental illness is a real thing, I’ll renew. When you can acknowledge that right to bear arms does not mean right to own military grade assault weapons built solely for the purpose of removing human life, I will renew.
I cannot support a burden such as this.
Right to bear does not give us the right to neglect common sense and a desire for the well being of our fellow Americans. When protection becomes deflection, I find myself conflicted.
Your organization is exemplary in the manner in which it upholds constitutional rights. That makes me proud. But it is so very poor in the manner in which it protects the very people the amendment was drawn up to protect: ourselves.
I love my country. I love our Amendments. But nothing in this life is black and white, and it’s about time we stop acting like it is.
Respectfully,
Shayleene
Please, I encourage each of you to keep on loving. We can protect our Amendments while still being reasonable. The only one trying to take away from us is the one stealing away the lives of fellow citizens. For just a moment, forget the politics. Remember the love. And remember the children who won’t receive the love that they deserve.
The Wild Heart of Life 
Wonderful words of courage and compassion. As a member of the Alternatives to Violence community I applaud your appeal to take anger out of our hearts and guns out of our homes.
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Thank you! So very much for your words. I do, however, want to be clear on something. Despite the fact that I am not particularly fond of guns myself, and I abhor violence, I do not want them taken away from owners who are responsible and in good health. That is a constitutional right. Ideally, we wouldn’t have them at all, of course. But the problem isn’t the guns. It’s the poor legislature, the far too easy access, and the uneducated gun owners that are a problem.
But, thank you. As for taking anger out of our hearts, that is a great undertaking…but so so necessary. I’m with you all the way. ❤️
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Thanks for your kind courtesy. It’s nice we can partly disagree in a civilized way. I would like to see all spears beaten into plowshares. I would like to see the end to all guns above all automatic and semi automatic. Take good care!
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For sure. To be honest, I’m not opposed to eliminating all guns. At all. If there was a button I could press to poof make them go away, I would. It’s just such a tangled web (at the moment) that I kind of remain somewhere in the middle. I do agree with you though, automatic weapons have no place in our homes.
Anyway thank you for being a pacifist! We need more of you. Keep on keeping. Spread that peace. ❤️
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Thank you!
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💕💕❤️
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Really touching post, Shayleene. Well done for speaking out and thanks for sharing your thoughts xo
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Thank you. Be well and have a beautiful week. ❤️
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Powerful post!
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Thank you. 💕
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Well said. 👍🏻
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Again, wonderful! Thank you for being such an inspiration and always reminding me and your readers how to love. You are right in that getting rid of anger is a huge under taking – it can be so difficult at times- but I am right there with you fighting for love rather than hate. Thank you again.
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Thank you. We can do so much together. Be well. ❤️
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Lovely letter.
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Thank you. Be well. 💕
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The part about military grade assault weapons makes so much sense. It should inspire a movement. So far that simple idea is leaderless. Sad sad.
P.S. I’m a grandfather. Your story helped me realize how blessed I am. So easy to take things for granted.
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Love your little ones. They are lucky to have you. Raise them to be better than what we are seeing now. Be well. ❤️
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You are a saint Shayleene. A veritable Jeanne d’Arc, and I think she used a sword. As near as I can find only about 5-10% of gun owners are members of the NRA. If our politicians don’t ignore this gun lobby and actually DO something about gun safety then we should vote them OUT. It wouldn’t hurt if a few million more NRA members dropped their membership. Many of us second amendment supporters are TIRED of the MADNESS!! I just spent the last 15 minutes watching videos about bump stocks. I don’t see any need for automatic weapons that outweighs the need to keep them out the hands like the Vegas shooter. Talk about finessing definitions so that they are legal. Typical political BS. Seriously folks, people are dying out there.
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It’s like we’ve forgotten the living in favor of absolutist legality and that hurts. The stocks are evidence of this at the moment. We’ve forgotten what to stand for. You are right, what is the possible need for an automatic weapon? I’ve never met someone who owned one that I trusted to own it. I’m not speaking for everyone, but those I have known who possess these weapons have always been the very people who never should. After all, what reasonable person wishes to possess a thing so deadly?
Be well. Thanks for your response. Keep on keeping. ❤️
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I believe it takes lot of courage to present the stark truth, so kudos to you!! I don’t know much about the organization in context but I do understand the importance of compassion and positivity in Life☺️☺️
Good day, Charu
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Charu. What a beautiful word. Far more than my writings deserve, but thank you. Continue being your compassionate self. it’s a beautiful thing to behold. Be well. ❤
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It seems to me that one of the things we have to change is the language. Instead of calling for “gun control”, we should be calling for “gun safety”. Gun safety does not mean we take away guns from citizenry. When they are used for protection and for hunting and for sport shooting and for show, they are marvelous things. But gun safety does take into account public safety.
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That is an excellent point and I think it would help a lot. I’m going to think on this more but I like it. Thank you for your wisdom.
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Like so many of us, I think fear is what drives the gun owners that support the NRA message. One thing I have learned is that when we see others as a thing and don’t respect them, they will never respect us.
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Truer words were never spoken.
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