Taking "Aim"

Immediately following the tragedy in Tucson, the finger pointing started. Some are blaming the political rhetoric as inciting the shootings. The recent mid-term elections were full of rhetoric and imagery from both Republicans and Democrats that included gun-related metaphors, some of which are now front and centre.

Enter Sarah Palin, the gun toting former Republican Vice Presidential Candidate; former Governor of Alaska and the only person whose U.S. foreign policy consists of being able to see Russia from her front porch. During mid-term elections, while campaigning for fellow Republicans, Sarah “targeted” certain democrats and used “cross hairs” to show the democratic districts on a map. How dare she! Actually if you have ever Googled a map you will use a cross hair. So the question posed on many a blog is, if the political rhetoric did indeed lead to the shootings in Tuscon, what now?


Just imagine the fallout. Now we have all travelled to a Target Store. Interestingly enough, Target does not sell real guns or toy guns that could be mistaken for real guns. Yet, in the aftermath of the tragedy in Tucson, wouldn’t it just make sense to change the name of Target to something a little less gun related like Pursue or Goal.

I think the fire department has an obligation to change their name as well. From this day forward it should be called the Inferno Department. No more will we “shoot” basketballs or hockey pucks. Henceforth we will place the ball in the basket or net. This will of course create problems for hockey announcers who up until now have simply shouted, “He shoots. He scores.” No more foul “shots”. Now the basketball players will have “foul chances”.

I am not going to “aim” for anything anymore. I will simply aspire. “Point and shoot” cameras will be a no, no. No more “packing” lunches. A “piece” will now be referred to as a part. Can you see Robert DeNiro now? “You want a part of me?” Some things just don’t translate.