BARBWIREContents
Louisiana, Nevada tops in per capita gun deaths.
— Associated Press
In the latest public relations coup for the Silver State, a study released last week revealed "Nevada had 359 total firearm deaths in 1996 — 222 suicides, 128 homicides, seven unintentional deaths and two of
undetermined intent," according to AP.We were topped only by that major metropolis, Louisiana. Where did
the liberal backwater of New York fall? Try 40th. And otherworldly
Taxachusetts? Last. Lowest per capita gun deaths among the 50 states. (DC
figures were not included.)Our orgasm of guns is spawned from the way the nation's citizens
perceive themselves. We are still playing cowboys and Indians.We labor under several convenient myths. Because the titled
aristocracy left as the Revolutionary War was getting underway, we think we
have no ruling class in this country. Everyone is either upper-middle,
middle, or lower-middle.Alas, just saying all men are created equal has never made it so
even among white men, let alone women or those of alternative tints. But
it's pleasant to think we all start at the same line and that by working
hard, everyone has a sporting chance of realizing the Great American Dream
of success.Interlarded into initiative is individualism, the idea that each is
capable of achieving all without any assistance whatsoever.The truth is otherwise. Teamwork and cooperation built the most
powerful nation on earth. If you want to view the fruits of real rugged
individualism, travel to any banana republic dictatorship.We expropriated the Spanish vaquero, morphed him into a white guy
and made him a god. Our love of the cowboy myth was not lost on marketers.
Leo Burnett, creator of the Jolly Green Giant and Tony the Tiger, turned
the buckaroo into a seductive cigarette and cancer salesman.Just as red blood suffuses your body, the cowboy myth permeates
your daily life. Name the product or service — beer, insurance, cars, cat
food, candidates. All encourage you to express your individuality by
symbolically breaking the rules and buying the same revolutionary product
as millions of others.
|
In
Search Of John Clifford Millspaugh
Barbwire 6-21-2009 |
A Sparks resident for
11 years, Mr. Millspaugh apparently took his life with a gun at about
4:00 p.m. He thus joined that lonely 62 percent of Nevada victims gunned
down at their own hands.It seems to me there are better and cleaner ways to take yourself
out, alternatives which will not inconvenience or traumatize others, but
none live up to the great cowboy myth. We want to die with our boots on and
a six-gun in each hand, just like John Wayne in his last film, "The
Shootist," shot in Carson City and Jack's Valley.Suicide is another way of saying despair. Red-skirted Nevada makes
a living by creating that lowly emotion after jinning up a phony high by
making false promises. The letdown in this party-hearty state arguably
causes a harder crash into the pit.We don't want to admit that we live off the earnings of sin and
vice. For decades, Las Vegas has perpetuated the myth that it is home to
more churches per capita than...than...er...they no longer give a
comparison. They've been saying it so long, it's become a slogan---more
churches per capita, period. About 10 years back, a London newspaper asked
them to prove it. Oops.We rugged individualists hate welfare queens, but live under the
rule of corporate welfare queens. When the brahmins of Sparks-Reno recently
met behind closed doors, they fought like the greedy bastards they are over
who gets what piece of the proposed new room tax. Nary a word was uttered
about a token amount for frills like roads, parks, police and fire
protection. What's good for business is good for everybody, dammit. When we
want your opinion, we'll give it to you.In 1991, private citizen Kenny Guinn helped Democrat Gov. Bob
Miller balance the state budget on the backs of the physically and mentally
disabled. Now, Republican Gov. Guinn is doing the same thing despite
looming threats that mental health budget cuts will result in patient
lawsuits.Earlier this month, the Salvation Army advisory board received a
report that
the numbers of mentally ill have jumped by 400% at the homeless drop-in
center off Fourth street in Reno.Perhaps the death of John Clifford Millspaugh was a warning shot
across our bow of additional fire to come and the prices to be paid.Living in fantasyland gets expensive.Get real or get hurt.LEGISLATIVE ALERT. SB 88, Sen. Joe Neal's bill to increase the
gross gaming tax on the largest, most repugnantly profitable casinos, will
be heard before the State Senate Committee on Taxation in legislative
hearing room 2135 on March 9 at 2:00 p.m. On March 11, same time and place,
the committee will hear SB 90, the North Las Vegas Democrat's proposal to
repeal Gomorrah South casino mogul Steve Wynn's tax break for art
collectors at the expense of school kids.I'm encouraging tax protestors to make the hearings a showcase on
how the gambling industry foists taxes and fees on the little guy while
reducing its own.Be well. Raise hell.
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