I was going to do a post today about equality under the law, but I got injured today and it made me see the current gun control debate from a different perspective. In the grand scheme of things, my injury is minor. But hobbling around on crutches, having trouble carrying a glass of water or taking a shower, once again makes me thankful for my health, and makes me appreciate those who remain positive in the face of far worse limitations.

This made me consider the plight of those who, temporarily or permanently, have lost the use of some part of their body. A broken arm or leg, paralysis, amputation. These people’s lives aren’t worth any less than that of an able bodied person, yet gun control or a gun ban would much farther reduce their ability to defend themselves than mine.

Imagine the young mother with the broken ankle, hobbling along in a foot cast dragging a little boy in her wake. You think she might make a more inviting target for a mugging?

Or the college student with the broken wrist, suffered when she slipped on a spill at a party. As she walks home from a night time class, you think she might seem enticing to a rapist? It’s much more difficult to push someone off of you with only one arm.

The diabetes patient who’s lost the use of both legs. Pushing her wheelchair back from the store, purse in her lap. An easy snatch and grab.

You can dream up myriad examples of those who might need a little help to defend against harm. They can’t run away, they can’t punch or push, they can’t jump in the bushes and call 911. Do you think those people will get a special waiver from gun control initiatives? You have a broken arm? Ok, you can have a magazine with a 15 round capacity. Oh, a paraplegic? Here, fully automatic for you. Enjoy!

This is madness writ large. We’ve taken limited instances of madness wreaking havoc and allowed that madness to permeate our entire society. I’m insulted by the sophomoric spasms of rhetoric and blame.

Adding insult to injury indeed.