Bored In Duncan, Oklahoma

Usually there isn't a lot going on in Duncan, Oklahoma. It is down in the southern part of the state. It's main claim to fame, until the last few days, was that both the Halliburton Corporation and movie director Ron Howard were born there. Neither stuck around, although Halliburton still has a shrinking presence in the town. The local airfield and high school football stadium--home of the Duncan Demons--are both named after the company.

It is safe to say that hardly anyone in Australia had ever heard of Duncan until this weekend. In fact, it is probably just as safe to say hardly anyone in the United States outside of Oklahoma and maybe parts of northern Texas had heard of it either.

Now Duncan has become the epicenter of the great American gun debate and a crime scene infamous on two continents.

Yes, murder most foul was committed on a Duncan street and the reason for it, if proven true, is not only brutally stupid, but perfectly American.

Three teenagers, James Francis Edwards Jr, Chauncey Allen Luna, and Michael Dewayne Jones found themselves bored as their summer vacations wound down, so, according to police, they decided to kill someone to liven up their day. This being the United States of America, they had access to a fire arm, because--well--everyone here does.

In an instant there you have it--motive and means, all served up just as quick and neat as a McDonald's Happy Meal.

Christopher Lane, an Australian from Melbourne was in town visiting his girl friend and biding time until classes started 90 miles away at East Central State University. Lane was the starting catcher on the school's baseball team and majoring in business. He went out jogging on a public street during the day and probably never gave a thought to personal safety. The three bored dudes spotted him, cruised up from behind in a car and opened fire. This is known here abouts as picking a target of opportunity.

At a hearing in Duncan yesterday prosecutors accused Luna, 16 of pulling the trigger as he sat in the back seat of the vehicle. Edwards, 15 was riding what we call shotgun in the front seat and Jones, 17 was the wheel man.

As always when these things happen shock, grief, and outrage all swirled together and came pouring out. Former Deputy Prime Minister of Australia Tim Fischer was quoted in the Melbourne paper as saying, "Tourists thinking of going to the U.S.A should think twice. I am deeply angry because of the callous attitude of the three teenagers, but it is a sign of the proliferation of guns on the ground in the U.S.A. There is a gun for almost every American." In another statement Mr. Fischer called on Australians to boycott America entirely.

Although it is highly doubtful an Australian boycott would even register a blip on the tourism industry in the U.S, Fischer is close on the guns per people statement. It is currently estimated there are between 262 and 310 million firearms laying around in this country. At last report there are 316 million people living here.

It is at this point I normally go off on an anti gun--anti NRA rant. But really, what is the use? If we wouldn't do anything about guns after a theater was shot up in Colorado and a bunch of babies were murdered at a Connecticut school, we sure aren't going to do anything after some poor Aussie gets shot in the back in Duncan, Oklahoma.

In fact the pro gun quacks are already out in force. Comments at the bottom of NBC bulletins concerning the murder are rife with people blaming everything except America's sexual affair with the hand gun. More than a few of them are quoting bullshit statistics that indicate there has been a massive violent crime increase in Australia since restrictive gun legislation was enacted there in the 1990's. It is a lie of course, but if that is all you have, then that is what you use.

In a statement to the press, Jason Hicks, the Stephens County District Attorney assured Australia and the world, "This is not Duncan, Oklahoma. This is not Stephens County, Oklahoma. This is not something we see happen here."

That is a lie too. Stephens County Sheriff, Wayne McKinney told reporters in an interview his jail already holds one teenager accused of killing his 16 year old girlfriend and a 19 year old who allegedly murdered a store clerk.

Yes, violent death, murder by hand gun, is every bit, Duncan, Oklahoma and every bit America.

You can spout the second amendment all you want, but you can't deny the verifiable numbers. We are a dangerous and well armed society. We have little respect for life and for many of us the prospect of taking one doesn't even quicken the pulse.

 And, as the world has just seen, we get bored easily.

Just ask them in Duncan, the home town of the Demons.

8-21-13