Rebecca Rose

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The Price Of Safety

The NRA says lots of guns will help to keep us safe!
Fill our homes and church and school, and arm the office place!
To protect his family, fathers stockpile guns of every size,
And women fill their purses up with pistols, as is wise.
There are crazy people out there. You never know just who.
So all the neighbors hurry out, and they buy weapons, too.

And teachers carry rifles to defend the school hall;
And shoppers strap their pistols on ‘fore heading to the mall;
And waitresses wear handguns as they work at the café;
And parents pack revolvers to the soccer field each day;
Ministers give sermons proudly sporting guns on hips,
And rejoice to see the faithful with their armaments and clips.
Mailmen and secretaries, bakers, clerks, and more
Bring shotguns to the office, to the courthouse, park or store.

And just because they love them, parents give their children Glocks.
They stuff ‘em into backpacks, down their pockets, into socks.
Safely armed with loaded guns, the kids go out to play.
"My kid won't get pushed around! " their parents proudly say.

Yes, just like in the Wild West, each person packs a gun.
It was peaceful - safe and civilized! - back when the West was won.
The best defense is good offense! No one would attack
A person who, if shot at, would then surely shoot them back!
And every day, a weapon kills a child (or two or three) .
Well, that's the price of safety. You know, safety isn't free.

Now, a bar fight can explode from just two people to a brawl;
So a shouting match can likewise spark a gunfight free-for-all
When someone feels insulted, or someone runs a light,
Or someone who is crazy starts to pick a crazy fight.

And while YOU would never panic, SOMEONE maybe could,
And maybe they start shooting cuz their judgment's not so good.
Then everyone starts grabbing for their Lugers and their Colts,
They're whipping out their Winchesters and throwing home the bolts,
M-16s and Uzis are unveiled for self-defense:
Thank God we can protect ourselves from those who have no sense!
Guns are raised and shots are heard - from here? Or over there?
And the hordes of well-intentioned spray their bullets EVERYWHERE.

And later, when we count our dead who're piled everyplace,
Will we still believe the NRA, that guns will keep us safe?

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