Gun Debate In US: All Talk No Action: When 'Knights' Rule The Day With Guns Blazing

Today

Like the wild, wild West, guns rule the U.S. still today. 

These examples below are a few random headlines about gun laws and gunmen that have been plaguing the United States of America for many years.

29 July 2012:
The Colorado, USA shooting incident at the Century 16 multiplex in Aurora a few days ago where the movie The Dark Knight Rises is showing reminds me of songs with a gun theme and there are many to check out on the Internet. 

14 December 2012:
Another gunman's meaningless killing of 20 school children and 6 adults at Sandy Hook Elementary School, Newtown, Connecticut USA.

1st January 2016:
Texans Can Carry Hip Holster Guns.

From: http://labprolib.com/american-deaths-in-terrorism-vs-gun-violence-in-one-graph/#
(The above statistics could be outdated).

In Texas from 1st January 2016 you are allowed to carry a licenced gun everywhere you go, and, for some, holstered on your hip too. Like the bad old days in Dallas or Houston where gun-totting cowboys rule the day. Here's the latest.

And only a few months ago...

1 October 2017:
Stephen Paddock killed 58 people and either maimed or injured 489 others when he used guns and fired at concertgoers on the Las Vegas Strip in Nevada, US. Paddock was later found dead.

And the latest incident.

24 January 2018:
Just into 2018, and 7 weeks into the year, 8 shootings in schools have occurred. It is truly sad to hear of another incident in the US, this time it's in Kentucky where, according to the newspapers, 2 students were killed and another 18 injured at Marshall County High School. All the result of one 15-year old using a gun.

And the list of gun-totting Americans and victims have become longer.

'Have Gun Will Travel'  Sung by Johnny Western. Video from firsthighlander1

Yesterday:

There was one Western series I remember which was produced in the 50's and shown on our local television in the mid-60's. The theme song with rough and tumble actor Richard Boone in sombre but dashing black outfit attracted many of us to the living room to watch Have Gun Will Travel (image). 

I loved Paladin known as the "gentleman gunfighter" but was more interested in the opening sequence, melody and lyrics than the show itself.

The first verse of *Ballad of Paladin explains his purpose for selling his service,  "Have Gun Will Travel reads the card of a man/A knight without armour in a savage land/His fast gun for hire/A soldier of fortune..."

The second verse extolls him as, "A chess knight of silver is his badge of trust/There are campfire legends that the plainsmen spin /Of the man with the gun called Paladin..."

The ingredients are all there and have been there a long time ago, a soldier of fortune, knight, black outfit, savage land and guns!  Yes, the knight rules the day with guns blazing as history repeats itself? But perhaps with a different purpose? 

BTW, the nearest I came to finding any Asian song or record image with a gun theme is the vinyl cover below. Do you have any gun song or record cover to share?

More guitars, no guns. It's time the US make a turn-around and act against shootings and curb the easy licensing of guns.  

I'm glad guns are banned in Singapore. Aren't you? 

(*Ballad of Paladin: by Johnny Western, Richard Boone, and Sam Rolfe. Performed by Johnny Western).

Images: Google Collection.
YouTube video by firsthighlander1
Original article: Andy Lim.

Vinyl Cover for HAVE GUN WILL TRAVEL by Johnny Western.