I’ve never watched the Super Bowl. I loathe corporate sports. But, if you like it, I don’t hate you. I don’t hate you for driving a car, but I think Big Oil will destroy the earth for a profit. I don’t hate you for the products you consume and enjoy, but I’m certain the manufacturers would gladly poison you for more money.

I don’t hate responsible gun owners. Several of my friends have guns. I have fired a rifle more than once and wasn’t bad at target shooting, though I much prefer archery or throwing rocks.

I believe corporations exist for one reason above all others: to make a few people rich. They make the top executives rich while screwing labor. They make the board rich, while bribing the watchdogs. Corporations pretend to serve their customers, but they actually serve a few people at the top.

To my mind, the NRA is a corporation. Its board is the Gun Industry, which only profits by selling weapons of destruction — the more, the better. The NRA funnels vast amounts of money into a few hands. In the process, the NRA claims to represent the interests of all of its members, in theory, the interests of every single gun owner. The NRA does NOT represent the interests of reasonable people.

If you own a gun, if you like guns, if you love guns, peace unto you. If you are a member of the NRA, kick some sense into its leadership.

I have a rhetorical style that is less moderate than I am, taken in my entirety. I don’t apologize for my passion, but I do regret that my anger puts some people off. Sometimes, I agree that “if you’re not angry, you’re not paying attention.” People are dying. Other people are growing rich off of that death — why would they try to reduce it or tolerate anyone who did try?