Have you ever had one of those everyday moments that stops you in your tracks and makes you question what is really going on in our country?
That happened to me recently. And it all started with water and glue.
I’m a photographer and a crafter. Some days I’m taking and editing photos or developing film; other days I’m at the craft table. On this particular day, I needed supplies, distilled water and rubber cement. And being me, I never just buy what is needed, I always buy a little extra because my ideas don’t always work out the way I imagine them and sometimes that means wasted material.
So, there I am at the checkout. The cashier scans my items, looks at the screen, and then looks at me.
“I need to see your ID.”
Now I’m standing there confused. “My ID? For water and rubber cement?”
She nods seriously. “Yes. The register says you must be 21 to buy multiple bottles of these items.”
So, I hand her my license. She checks it. I pay. I leave.
And yet, I couldn’t stop thinking about it. Here’s why.
In America today, you can buy a gun at 18. Some are even pushing to lower that age. And in many cases, you don’t need to show ID. You don’t need a background check. No one stops you at the counter.
But me? I had to prove my age to buy water and craft glue.
WATER and CRAFT GLUE! Think about that.
What does it say about our priorities when distilled water and rubber cement are treated like a greater threat than a firearm? I’ve never heard of distilled water or glue used in a mass killing. But guns? Too many times to count.
Now, I don’t have all the answers. But I do know this: little contradictions like this should make us pause. They should make us ask hard questions. They should make us think about what we value, and what we’re willing to change. Lastly, they should make us ACT!
So, I’ll leave you with the question that’s been ringing in my mind ever since I left that store:
What’s up with the guns, America?