Columns

The difference between a man and a boy, the old saw goes, is the price of his toys. On one level, that’s fine, one supposes, such as when comparing skateboarding to NASCAR, but at what point is it expected for a male to assume the full responsibilities of adulthood and the consequences that come with it?

 NBA star Jason Collins has proclaimed to the world he is gay. What’s the big deal? Billions have publicly averred their personal truths since time immemorial. 

People declare their religious preferences — Catholic, Muslim, Mormon, Southern Baptist — daily, and oftentimes fight and kill to prove their love for their God. No big deal, eh?

Two-thirds of registered voters have declared their political party preferences, thus telling the rest of the world they are more likely liberal or conservative. No big deal, eh?

Another act of major violence inflicted upon the public, an act of terror meant to intimidate and strike fear into the hearts of everyone: The Boston Marathon attack is the latest such heinous act and surely won’t be the last. 

According to a New York Times report, acts of terror in the United States have declined since 1970. That is meant to be comforting, one supposes, balm to calm jittery nerves.

One wonders about the reason supposedly small-government groups advocate for a broader expanse of government until one comes back to the fact that the NRA is not a gun-ownership rights group as much as it is an ideological consortium led by political fanatics who will brook no deviation from its religious orthodoxy.