Bachelor Nation’s Becca Kufrin Proposes to Thomas Jacobs

That’s how Bachelorettes do it!

Becca Kufrin, star of season 14 of the ABC dating show in 2018, is engaged to Thomas Jacobs, her boyfriend of about a year and her co-star from Bachelor in Paradise. And she proposed to him!

“In the ultimate plot twist…HE SAID YES!” Becca, 32, wrote on Instagram, alongside a slew of engagement photos, which show her now-fiancé’s new gold ring. The pics, taken by photographer Erica Jones, also feature the couple’s two dogs.

She continued, “We’ve been keeping this secret just between us and close family & friends for a while but we’re so excited to shout it from the rooftops! I finally found my chauffeur for life and the one who makes my heart smile every single day. I can’t wait to do it all with you Tommy, thanks for making me the happiest gal alive. I love you to the moon & back.”



Check out our Latest News and Follow us at Facebook

Original Source

3 worst moves of the 2022 offseason

Garrett Bradbury, Minnesota Vikings. (Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)

Questionable decisions made this offseason could come back to haunt the Minnesota Vikings.

Though the Minnesota Vikings have every reason to believe they are a playoff contender this fall, the front office has already made a few head-scratching decisions that could prove very costly.

After failing to qualify for the postseason last year, Minnesota opted to go in a different direction organizationally. They let go of long-time head coach Mike Zimmer and former general manager Rick Spielman in favor of Kevin O’Connell and Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, respectively. With the NFC being down, Minnesota may make the playoffs anyway, but one bad decision could ruin their year.

Here are the three worst moves made by the Vikings’ brass during a most critical NFL offseason.

Minnesota Vikings: 3 worst moves made during the 2022 NFL offseason

3. The decisions surrounding Garrett Bradbury have been odd the entire time

It is so hard to have faith in an offensive line holding up when the starting center is seen as a liability. Minnesota thought it shored up that critical position in the trenches when the Vikings took Garrett Bradbury in the first round of the 2019 NFL Draft out of North Carolina State. Too bad he has been one of the worst centers in the league over the last three years. Oh wait, there’s more…

Even if it made sense for the new Vikings’ front office to not extend an ineffective Bradbury a fifth-year option for 2023, they have not brought in any free agents to compete with him of note, nor did they add a center to push him from this year’s draft. For whatever reason, the Vikings are tempting fate by letting Bradbury remain their offensive line bottleneck. They are really pushing it.

There may be some belief from within that O’Connell will be able to put Bradbury in more advantageous situations with his scheme as an offensive-midned head coach. However, the Vikings are one bad injury to Kirk Cousins or Dalvin Cook from falling off a cliff this season. If the fulcrum of the Minnesota offensive line leaks like a sieve, then the Vikings will be having problems.

If Bradbury struggles, the Vikings might have to kick one of their many guards even further inside.

Check out our Latest News and Follow us at Facebook

Original Source

Insight provided into Liverpool’s post-Sadio Mane plans


 

An insight into Liverpool’s plans to bounce back from the predicted departure of star attacker Sadio Mane has been provided on Sunday evening.

The name of wide-man Mane has of course taken its place front and centre in the English media headlines across the day to date.

This comes with the Senegalese widely understood to have informed those in a position of power at Anfield of his intention to seek pastures new ahead of next season.

German champions Bayern Munich, in turn, have emerged as early front-runners for his signature, as Liverpool prepare for life sans the services of one of the key pillars behind the club’s recent success.

So, where do the Merseyside giants go from here?

Early suggestions had pointed towards Luis Diaz acting as Mane’s replacement, with Mohamed Salah maintaining his spot on the right flank and centre-forward duties shared by Diogo Jota and Roberto Firmino.

If the latest word stemming from the media this evening is anything to go by, however, then this, in fact, does not look set to be the case.

As per a report from the reliable Paul Gorst of the Liverpool Echo, before sanctioning any exit for Mane, the transfer chiefs at Anfield intend to secure a high-profile replacement for the former Southampton standout.

The individual targeted will be expected to at least come close to emulating Mane’s goalscoring exploits, as well as boasting the versatility to line out in multiple positions across a front-three.

It is too confirmed that Liverpool intend to demand more than the €30 million sum touted for their attacking star in the media, despite his contract on Merseyside now having just 12 months left to run.

Reds downed

Word of Mane’s planned exit of course rounds out what has proven something of a miserable week for all associated with Liverpool.

With hopes of an unprecedented quadruple still intact, Klopp and co. were first pipped to the Premier League title by a solitary point, owing to a stunning final day comeback on the part of Manchester City.

Then, just six days later, the Reds turned their attentions towards matters on the continent, in a Champions League final showdown with Spanish heavyweights Real Madrid.

Once more, though, Liverpool saw their efforts come up short at the last, en route to a 1-0 defeat in Paris.

 

‘Easier to decipher’ than PSG & Chelsea: Carlo Ancelotti breaks down Real’s win over Liverpool

How many cup finals has Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp lost?

 


Liverpool betting odds, next game:



Check out our Latest News and Follow us at Facebook

Original Source

Nicole Kidman Makes A Surprise Appearance At Keith Urban’s Concert

As the pair—who share daughters Sunday, 13, and Faith, 11—walked across the stage, Keith took a moment to poke fun at his wife.

“She literally said, ‘Don’t lose that jacket,'” he teased. “And I’m like, ‘How am I gonna lose the jacket?'” 

Spoiler alert: Nicole was right. “It’s gone!” Keith shared. “See! Look! You jinxed it.”  

After a brief search, the glittering black blazer was returned to its rightful owner, who then placed it around Nicole’s shoulders. As he guided his wife toward the opposite side of the stage, Nicole waved goodbye to fans and made the shape of a heart with her hands. 

The musician then returned to his microphone and gleefully shared, “Just a Saturday night in Las Vegas!” You can watch the clip in full here.  

Nicole has joined Keith onstage multiple times throughout their marriage. 

Last September, she made a brief appearance to sign her husband’s guitar during his performance at “Loretta Lynn’s Friends: Hometown Rising” benefit concert in Nashville, Tennessee, per GMA. The instrument was later auctioned off to support those affected by Tennessee’s August 2021 flash floods. 



Check out our Latest News and Follow us at Facebook

Original Source

Where Was Season 4 of Stranger Things Filmed?

After almost three years, Stranger Things is back this summer with season 4 and it has been way too long for fans. The excitement for the new season has only grown with the delay, but there were a lot of issues around filming. The main one was the pandemic, which caused filming to halt and then begin again in October of 2020. Gaten Matarazzo, who plays Dustin Henderson, told Us Weekly in December 2020 that it definitely changed the way things worked on set.

“It’s definitely an unorthodox form of shooting,” said Matarazzo. “Everyone on set has been very diligent about wearing their PPE. Even for our off-camera work, we keep our masks and goggles on. Lots of distancing. Separation during lunch, and transport from base to set.”

So where was this “unorthodox” filming happening? Warning: minor spoilers ahead.

To start, there were quite a few locations that were needed for the show because some of the biggest characters, Eleven and Byers, have moved across the country to California when the season opens. Dustin, Lucas, and Max are still in Hawkins, Indiana, and Hopper is not disintegrated— but he is trapped deep in Russian territory.

Scenes set in “Hawkins” are generally shot in Atlanta, Georgia, but Decider reports that the scenes in California were actually filmed in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Eleven and Will are attending a fictional school called Californian Lenora Hills High School, and those scenes were filmed at Albuquerque’s Eldorado High School. Other scenes happened at Albuquerque’s Roller King skating rink and in Los Lunas, New Mexico.

All the shots in Russia were done in Vilnius, Lithuania. The scenes where Hopper is seen in a jail cell are remarkably authentic in that they were filmed in Lukiškes Prison, which is centuries old. It is no longer in operation, except for TV and movie making. Pretty much the perfect place for Stranger Things.

This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io

Check out our Latest News and Follow us at Facebook

Original Source

Colombians choose a new president amid general discontent

Placeholder while article actions load

BOGOTA, Colombia — Colombians emerging from the coronavirus pandemic voted for a new president Sunday, choosing from six candidates who promised varying degrees of change amid rising inequality, inflation, violence and discontent with the status quo.

Former rebel Gustavo Petro, who led in opinion polls, could become Colombia’s first leftist president. But those polls also indicated he probably would fall short of the 50% of votes needed to win in the first round and avoid a runoff against the second-place finisher.

Behind him were a populist real estate tycoon promising monetary rewards for tips on corrupt officials and a right-wing candidate who tried to distance himself from the widely disliked conservative current president, Iván Duque.

“The main problem in the country is the inequality of conditions, the work is not well paid,” said Jenny Bello, who sold coffee near a long line of voters under a typical cloudy sky in the capital of Bogotá. She had to resort to informal sales after months without work because of the pandemic.

A Petro win would add to a series of leftist political victories in Latin America as people seek change at a time of dissatisfaction with the economic situation. Chile, Peru and Honduras elected leftist presidents in 2021, and in Brazil, former President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva is leading the polls for this year’s presidential election. Mexico elected a leftist president in 2018.

This is the second presidential election in Colombia — Latin America’s third most populous country — since the government signed a peace agreement with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, known as FARC. But the divisive agreement was not a central campaign issue, with poverty and corruption drawing more attention.

Election Day took place peacefully for the most part across the country. But in the south-central state of Guaviare, three explosions were set off in rural areas far from polling stations, leaving a soldier with shrapnel wounds, said Defense Minister Diego Molano, who added that FARC dissident groups were allegedly responsible. The dissidents operate in the area.

Meanwhile, dozens of Colombians who wanted to return to their home country to vote faced difficulties at the border with Venezuela. The non-governmental group Colombian Electoral Observation Mission complained that “the Venezuelan Guard prevented the passage of Colombians” over the border bridges.

Immigration authorities in Colombia said an agreement calls for allowing Colombians registered to vote at border consulates to enter their homeland.

Petro has said he would resume diplomatic relations with the government of Nicolás Maduro, broken with Duque since 2019.

It is Petro’s third attempt to be the South America’s country president. He was defeated in 2018 by Duque, who was not eligible for reelection.

A victory for Petro would usher in a new political era in a country that has always been governed by conservatives or moderates while marginalizing the left due to its perceived association with the nation’s armed conflict. He was once a rebel with the now-defunct M-19 movement and was granted amnesty after being jailed for his involvement with the group.

He has promised to make significant adjustments to the economy, including a tax reform, as well as changes to how Colombia fights drug cartels and other armed groups. His main rival for most of the campaign has been Federico Gutiérrez, a former mayor of Medellin who is backed by most of Colombia’s traditional parties and ran on a pro-business, economic growth platform.

Gutiérrez has promised to fight hunger with the extension of subsidies and public-private alliances so that food that otherwise goes to waste is destined for the poorest.

A Gallup poll conducted earlier this month showed that 75% of Colombians believe the country is heading in the wrong direction and only 27% approve of Duque. A poll last year by Gallup found 60% of those questioned were finding it hard to get by on their income.

The coronavirus pandemic set back the country’s anti-poverty efforts by at least a decade. Official figures showed that 39% of Colombia’s 51.6 million residents lived on less than $89 a month last year, which has a slight improvement from the 42.5% rate from 2020.

Meanwhile, the country’s inflation reached its highest levels in two decades last month. Duque’s administration has justified April’s 9.2% rate for April by saying it is part of a global inflationary phenomenon, but the argument has not tamed discontent over increasing food prices.

“The vote serves to change the country and I think that this responsibility falls a lot on young people who want to reach standards that allow us to have a decent life,” said Juan David González, 28, who voted for the second time in a presidential election.

In addition to economic challenges, Colombia’s next president will also have to face a complex security issue and corruption, which is a top concern of voters.

The Red Cross last year concluded Colombia reached its highest level of violence in the last five years. Although the peace agreement with the FARC has been implemented, the territories and drug-trafficking routes that it once controlled are in dispute between other armed groups such as the National Liberation Army, or ELN, a guerrilla founded in the 1960s, FARC dissidents and the Gulf Clan cartel.

Duque’s successor will have to decide whether to resume peace talks with the ELN, which he suspended in 2019 after an attack killed more than 20 people.

Aware of voters’ corruption worries, real estate tycoon Rodolfo Hernández has placed the issue at the center of his campaign. Hernández, the former mayor of Bucaramanga, surprisingly rose in the final stretch of the campaign after promising to “clean” the country of corruption and to donate his salary.

The other candidates on the ballot are Sergio Fajardo, former mayor of Medellín and candidate for the center coalition; Christian leader John Milton Rodríguez, and the conservative Enrique Gómez.

Garcia Cano reported from Caracas, Venezuela.

Check out our Latest News and Follow us at Facebook

Original Source

Dwayne Johnson Has an Adorable Tea Party With His Daughter

Nice try, Dad. Again.

On May 28, Dwayne Johnson offered fans another adorable glimpse at his life with his kids, sharing on Instagram a video of himself with his youngest daughter Tiana Gia Johnson, 4, enjoying a tea party with her stuffed bunny. The Rock also took the opportunity to give an update on where she stands regarding his exhaustive quest to make her believe he is in fact the voice of Maui in Disney’s Moana: Tia is just not buying it.

“Man these daddy/daughter/bunny tea parties have a special way of kinda putting life into real perspective,” Dwayne wrote. “My ‘why’ becomes even more clear. She just turned 4 and probably won’t remember this, but I sure will. And she still refuses to believe that her daddy is actually MAUI from one of her favorite @disney movies, MOANA! She always says, ‘Daddy, you’re not Maui, you’re The Rock.'”

The actor’s video is set to Amos Lee‘s 2006 song “Sweet Pea.”



Check out our Latest News and Follow us at Facebook

Original Source

BTC, ETH, XTZ, KCS, AAVE

After declining for eight successive weeks, the Dow Jones Industrial Average rebounded sharply last week to finish higher by 6.2%. However, Bitcoin (BTC) has not been able to replicate the performance of the United States equities markets and is threatening to paint a red candle for the ninth week in a row.

A positive sign is that Bitcoin whales have been buying the market correction. Glassnode data shows that the number of Bitcoin whale wallets with a balance of 10,000 Bitcoin or more has risen to its highest level since February 2021. The accumulation in the whale wallets suggests that their long-term view for Bitcoin remains bullish.

Crypto market data daily view. Source: Coin360

Blockware Solutions highlighted that the Mayer Multiple metric which compares the 200-day simple moving average with the current price was languishing “near some of the lowest readings on record.” The firm said a few other indicators also suggest that Bitcoin is attempting to form a bottom.

If Bitcoin starts a recovery in the short term, certain altcoins are likely to follow it higher. Let’s study the charts of the top-5 cryptocurrencies that may lead the relief rally.

BTC/USDT

Bitcoin remains stuck inside a tight range between the downtrend line and the support at $28,630. The bears pulled the price below $28,630 on May 26 and May 27 but could not sustain the lower levels. This resulted in a rebound on May 28.

BTC/USDT daily chart. Source: TradingView

The bulls will now try to push the price above the downtrend line and challenge the 20-day exponential moving average ($30,538). If they succeed, the BTC/USDT pair could pick up momentum and the rally could reach the 50-day SMA ($35,181).

The positive divergence on the relative strength index (RSI) suggests that the bearish momentum could be weakening and a rally may be around the corner.

On the other hand, if the price turns down from the overhead resistance, the bears will again try to pull the pair below $28,630. If they manage to do that, the pair will complete a bearish descending triangle pattern, which has a target objective at $24,601.

BTC/USDT 4-hour chart. Source: TradingView

The 20-EMA and the 50-SMA on the 4-hour chart have flattened out and the RSI is just above the midpoint, suggesting a balance between supply and demand.

If bulls drive the price above the downtrend line, the negative descending triangle pattern will be negated. That could result in a short squeeze as the short-term bears may close their positions. That could clear the path for a possible rally to the 200-SMA.

Conversely, the bears will come out on top if the price turns down and plummets below $28,630. That could result in a retest of the crucial support at $26,700.

ETH/USDT

Ethereum (ETH) has been in a downtrend but the bulls are attempting to stall the decline at the crucial support of $1,700. The price rebounded off this support on May 28 and the bulls are attempting to build on the recovery on May 29.

ETH/USDT daily chart. Source: TradingView

The RSI is forming a bullish divergence, indicating that the downtrend may be weakening. If bulls push the price above the 20-day EMA ($2,036), the ETH/USDT pair could rise to the overhead resistance at $2,159. The bears are expected to defend this level aggressively. If the price turns down from this resistance, the pair may remain range-bound between $2,159 and $1,700 for a few days.

On the other hand, if the price turns down from the current level or the 20-day EMA, the bears will again attempt to sink the pair below $1,700. If they succeed, the pair may resume its downtrend with the next major support at $1,300.

ETH/USDT 4-hour chart. Source: TradingView

The bounce off the $1,700 support has reached the 20-EMA where the bears may mount a strong defense. If the price turns down from this level, it could enhance the prospects of a break below $1,700. If that happens, the downtrend may resume.

Conversely, if bulls push the price above the 20-EMA, the pair may rise to the 50-SMA. This level may again act as a resistance but if bulls clear this hurdle, the pair could rally to the psychological resistance at $2,000.

XTZ/USDT

Tezos (XTZ) is consolidating in a downtrend. Although bulls pushed the price above the 20-day EMA ($2) on May 24, they could not sustain the recovery. The price dipped back below the 20-day EMA on May 26.

XTZ/USDT daily chart. Source: TradingView

The 20-day EMA is flattening out and the RSI is above 46, suggesting that the selling pressure is reducing. If bulls push the price above the 20-day EMA, the XTZ/USDT pair could rally toward the 50-day SMA ($2.45). If this resistance also gives way, the buyers will attempt to push the price above the uptrend line.

In contrast, if the price turns down from the current level, it will suggest that bears continue to defend the 20-day EMA. The sellers will then attempt to sink the pair below $1.75 which could open the doors for a fall to $1.64.

XTZ/USDT 4-hour chart. Source: TradingView

The 4-hour chart shows the recovery turned down from the 200-SMA but the pair bounced off the uptrend line. The bulls have pushed the price above the 50-SMA and will now attempt to clear the overhead hurdle at the 200-SMA. If they manage to do that, it will suggest the start of a short-term up-move.

Alternatively, if the price turns down from the current level or the 200-SMA, the pair may drop to the uptrend line. A break and close below this support could pull the price down to $1.61.

Related: Bitcoin to set a new record 9-week losing streak with BTC price down 22% in May

KCS/USDT

KuCoin Token (KCS) broke above the 20-day EMA ($15.61) on May 20 but the bulls could not push the price above the 50-day SMA ($17.19). This may have tempted short-term traders to book profits, which pulled the price back below the 20-day EMA on May 26.

KCS/USDT daily chart. Source: TradingView

The bears could not build upon their advantage and sustain the price below the 20-day EMA, indicating strong buying by the bulls at lower levels. The buyers have pushed the price back above the 20-day EMA on May 29.

If bulls sustain the price above the 20-day EMA, the possibility of a break above the 50-day SMA increases. If that happens, the KCS/USDT pair may rally to $18.44 and later to the 200-day SMA ($19.63).

Contrary to this assumption, if the price turns down from the current level, it will suggest that traders are selling on rallies. A break and close below $14.92 could open the doors for a further decline to $12.90.

KCS/USDT 4-hour chart. Source: TradingView

The pair has been facing stiff resistance at the 200-SMA but the shallow correction indicates that bulls are buying on minor dips. If bulls push the price above the 200-SMA, the next stop could be $17.14. A break and close above this level could start the next leg of the up-move.

Conversely, if the price turns down from the overhead resistance, the bears may pull the pair down to the 38.2% Fibonacci retracement level at $14.20 and then to the 50% retracement level at $13.30. This zone is likely to act as a strong support.

AAVE/USDT

AAVE rallied to the 20-day EMA ($101) on May 23 but the bulls could not push the price above it. This suggests that bears continue to defend the level aggressively but a minor positive is that the buyers have not given up much ground.

AAVE/USDT daily chart. Source: TradingView

If the price turns up and breaks above the 20-day EMA, it will indicate the start of a stronger relief rally. The AAVE/USDT pair could then rally to the 50-day SMA ($132) where the bears may again mount a strong defense.

Alternatively, if the price turns down from the current level or the 20-day EMA and breaks below $89, the short-term bulls who may have purchased at lower levels could close their positions. That could pull the price down to $79 and later to $64.

AAVE/USDT 4-hour chart. Source: TradingView

The 4-hour chart shows that the pair has been oscillating between $90 and $110 for some time. The 20-EMA and the 50-SMA are flattish and the RSI is just above the midpoint, suggesting a balance between supply and demand.

This equilibrium could tilt in favor of buyers if they push and sustain the price above $110. If they do that, the pair could rally toward $130 and then $143. Conversely, if the price plummets below $90, the bears will gain the upper hand. The pair could then decline to $80 and later to $70.

The views and opinions expressed here are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Cointelegraph. Every investment and trading move involves risk, you should conduct your own research when making a decision.

Check out our Latest News and Follow us at Facebook

Original Source

Commanders losing support in stadium talks for hilarious reason

The Washington Commanders seem to be having a hard time getting a new stadium off the ground in the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Of course, the rebranded Washington Commanders were unable to prove they were popular when it came up in the ongoing conversations about them getting a new stadium built.

News of this comes from Virginia state senator Chap Petersen withdrawing his support in favor of a bill that would help the Commanders get a new stadium built in the commonwealth. Petersen was a season ticket holder for the Washington professional football franchise for decades previously, but he cited a downtick in popularity as a reason not to invest in the Commanders here.

This is the statement Petersen put out Wednesday about pulling his vote for stadium funding.

“I’ve had a chance to read the legislation closely several times in its original and amended form,” said Petersen. “I’ve also followed the news as the team has obtained an option on land in Virginia to build a stadium and surrounding mixed-use development. I respect the fact that it might create jobs and revenue in Prince William. However, I do not plan to support the project or Virginia’s pursuit of this NFL franchise.”

His two biggest concerns are “that development is too far removed from an urban setting” and he doesn’t “have confidence in The Washington Commanders as a viable NFL franchise.”

Petersen is highly skeptical Virginia will support a rebranded NFL franchise with no identity at all.

Virginia state senator: Washington Commanders are not commonwealth worthy

While the NFL is not dumb enough to let one of its franchises leave the nation’s capital, the Commanders are going to need to get a new stadium sooner or later. The issues surrounding FedEx Field have been well-documented, everything from pipes bursting, to fans falling into a tunnel after a railing collapsed during a game. The question is where will the Commanders play?

Petersen might be right that a lack of public transit could be an issue in building a stadium all the way out in Virginia, but there are plenty of professional franchises that play ball in suburban, or even somewhat rural, settings. As far as the Commanders not being viable, that is a direct shot at controversial owner Daniel Snyder. If somebody else owned them, Petersen might feel different.

Look. Even if the Commanders are poorly-run, this is still an NFL franchise. Against all odds, no, this team is not going to be down forever. This team won the NFC East two years ago and is a playoff contender often enough to keep things interesting. So whatever city, township, village or unincorporated area ends up with the Commanders, they will be way financially better for it.

It will be interesting to see how things shake out with Washington in dire need a of new stadium.

Check out our Latest News and Follow us at Facebook

Original Source

Opinion | Gun Safety Must Be Everything That Republicans Fear

I find that the gun safety debate lacks candor.

People believe it is savvier to tell only part of the truth, to soft-pedal the sell in an effort to get something — anything — done.

But lying will always lead to a trap.

Let me explain: The truth that no one wants to tell — the one that opponents of gun safety laws understand and the reason so many of them resist new laws — is that no one law or single package of laws will be enough to solve America’s gun violence problem.

The solution will have to be a nonstop parade of laws, with new ones passed as they are deemed necessary, ad infinitum. In the same way that Republicans have been promoting gun proliferation and loosening gun laws for decades, gun safety advocates will have to do the opposite, also for decades.

Individual laws, like federal universal background checks and bans on assault rifles and high-capacity magazines, will most likely make a dent, but they cannot end gun violence. Invariably, more mass shootings will occur that none of those laws would have prevented.

Opponents of gun safety will inevitably use those shootings to argue that the liberal efforts to prevent gun violence were ineffective. You can hear it now: “They told us that all we needed to do was to pass these laws and the massacres would stop. They haven’t.”

That said, I understand the by-any-means-necessary approach that gun safety advocates are taking. They would do anything to make progress on this issue, to save even one life, one group of shoppers in a grocery store, one classroom full of children.

I share their exasperation. This week I found myself thinking that I was happy my children are no longer of school age. The idea that a parent would have to worry about their children being shot down at school is unimaginable and unconscionable. The fact that children now have active shooter drills and bulletproof backpacks is obscene.

I know all too well the numbing feeling of seeing no progress as the slaughter spreads. It can breed in us a perpetual despair and desperation.

But I chose to view this issue soberly, with clear eyes, understanding the hurdle to getting anything done, but also not lying to myself about just how much would need to be done for more Americans to feel truly safe.

I understand that Republicans are the opposition, that they have come to accept staggering levels of death as the price they must pay to advance their political agenda on everything from Covid to guns.

But I am on the same page as they are on one point. They see the passage of gun safety laws as a slippery slope that could lead to more sweeping laws and even, one day, national gun registries, insurance requirements and bans. I see the same and I actively hope for it.

When I hear Democratic politicians contorting their statements so it sounds like they’re promoting gun ownership while also promoting gun safety, I’m not only mystified, I’m miffed.

Why can’t everyone just be upfront? We have too many guns. We need to begin to get some of them out of circulation. That may include gun buybacks, but it must include no longer selling weapons of war to civilians.

I grew up in a gun culture. If there was a family in my hometown that didn’t have guns, I didn’t know them. One of the required projects in shop class was the making of a gun rack. My own home was filled with guns, and at one point we even had a gun case with a carousel for the long guns in the living room.

Almost no one in my town needed those guns. We weren’t active hunters. Crime wasn’t raging. We were probably safer without them than with them.

Furthermore, people rarely, if ever, practiced shooting. Some guns were owned without ever being fired. People owned guns and had no idea what it felt like to fire them.

Gun culture is a canard and a corruption.

It makes people fearful and convinces them that guns provide security. More guns equate to even more security. But in fact, the escalation of gun ownership makes society less safe.

In our gun culture, 99 percent of gun owners can be responsible and law abiding, but if even 1 percent of a society with more guns than people is not, it is enough to wreak absolute havoc. When guns are easy for good people to get, they are also easy for bad people to get.

We have to stop all the lies. We have to stop the lie that fewer gun restrictions make us safer.

And we have to stop the lie that gun safety can be accomplished by one law or a few of them rather than an evolving slate of them.

Check out our Latest News and Follow us at Facebook

Original Source

Exit mobile version