I WILL NOT STAY SILENT

Is key

See this Instagram photo by @elephant_soap * 4 likes

Several weeks ago we were in IKEA. The Cabbage got to hang out in Smaland, which is her favorite, but when Michael went to pick her up, there was an incident. An accident had occurred and there was a drop of blood on the floor. Kids couldn't leave one section until the blood was cleaned up. Michael got really frustrated because it was taking a long time to get the blood cleaned up, but here's why it took so long. House keeping had to come in to clean up the blood, but the person in house keeping hadn't had a background check for approval to be around little kids. So, the house keeper had to wait for an escort into Smaland from security. Yes it was frustrating to have to wait to get the Cabbage, but Smaland is free babysitting for thirty minutes. Free. Not letting the house keeper who hasn't been approved to be around children into the place without an escort is IKEA telling us they care super lots about the safety of our child. Even though you just paid nothing for them to babysit your kid.

Now, let's put that into context with the current situation on gun control. There were four proposals introduced into the House of Representatives on Monday that did not pass. These are the four proposals:

1. S. Amdt. 4751: Sponsored by Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa). This would increase funding for background checks and define what it means to be mentally incapable to own a gun. 
2. S. Amdt 4750: Sponsored by Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn). This would require federal background checks before the every gun sale in the U.S. This mean it has to be done before the purchase of a gun ANYWHERE in the U.S.
3. S. Amdt 4749: Sponsored by Sen. John Coryn (R-Tex): This restricts the purchase of a gun to anyone on the federal watch list for up to 72 hours and that federal officials must be contacted if someone on the watch list is purchasing a weapon. 
4. S. Amdt 4720: Sponsored by Se. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.). This would prevent any person on the suspected terrorist list from purchasing a gun. 

Most of the Democrats thought the Republican proposed amendments were too lenient and the Republicans thought the Democrat proposed amendments were too stringent. So nothing fucking got accomplished. Big surprise. But let's look at these amendments in comparison to some other things like who we allow to watch our children. People without proper background checks are not allowed to work in child care facilities. If you fail to pass the eye exam at the DMV, you are not allowed to renew your drivers license. It should be fucking common sense that if you are on the no fly list, you should not be able to purchase a gun. 

Every single one of us should be screaming at our representatives. Their email boxes should be full. Their social media should be bombarded with demands. We should demand better than this. I want all of you to go and look at this picture and read that story. The same day I read about that cute little girl, my friend Heather sent me a text saying that she was in "active threat training". This is what our lives look like now and I personally think it's wrong and gross. I would have been happy if they'd just passed the republican amendments because at least it's something. At least it's moving forward. 

Please call, email, text, tweet, whatever your Representative and tell them you want change and that we can not continue to do nothing. You can find your Representative at House.gov