To the editor:
On March 24, more than a dozen Canadian cities hosted marches to call for stricter gun control laws in both Canada and the U.S., in the aftermath of the high school shooting that killed 17 people in Parkland, Florida.
Although Canadians cannot obtain guns as easily as Americans, Canada㽶Ƶֱs Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale recently tabled new legislation (Bill C-71), that introduces new measures to restrict access to firearms. One of several proposed changes involves enhanced background checks, which would demand the RCMP examine a person㽶Ƶֱs entire life history for potential red flags, not just the previous five years.
One student at the North Charleston 㽶ƵֱMarch For Our Lives㽶Ƶֱ rally sang Blowin㽶Ƶֱ in the Wind, written by Bob Dylan in 1962, and released as a single and on his album The Freewheelin㽶Ƶֱ Bob Dylan in 1963.
For these times, what follows is my rewrite of this iconic song:
Blowin in the Wind 2.0
How many halls must a student walk down
Before someone calls 9-1-1?
Yes, 㽶Ƶֱn㽶Ƶֱ how many minutes must armed officers take
Before they stop a crazed son?
Yes, 㽶Ƶֱn㽶Ƶֱ how many times must AR-15s fire
Before they㽶Ƶֱre forever banned?
The answer, my friend, is blowin㽶Ƶֱ in the wind
The answer is blowin㽶Ƶֱ in the wind
How many years can gun show loopholes exist
Before they㽶Ƶֱre forever closed?
Yes, 㽶Ƶֱn㽶Ƶֱ how many years should all people exist
Before guns to them can be sold?
Yes, 㽶Ƶֱn㽶Ƶֱ how many times can a politician turn his head
And pretend that he just doesn㽶Ƶֱt see?
The answer, my friend, is blowin㽶Ƶֱ in the wind
The answer is blowin㽶Ƶֱ in the wind
How many years before universal background checks
And a gun sale database?
Yes, 㽶Ƶֱn㽶Ƶֱ how many tears before mental health services
Are given more funding and space?
Yes, 㽶Ƶֱn㽶Ƶֱ how many years will it take to allow
Gun research by the CDC?
The answer, my friend, is blowin㽶Ƶֱ in the wind
The answer is blowin㽶Ƶֱ in the wind
How many times will there be red flags
Before they can see the signs?
Yes, 㽶Ƶֱn㽶Ƶֱ how many NRA dollars will he take
Before he can hear people cry?
Yes, 㽶Ƶֱn㽶Ƶֱ how many deaths will it take till he knows
That too many people have died?
The answer, my friend, is blowin㽶Ƶֱ in the wind
The answer is blowin㽶Ƶֱ in the wind
David Buckna, Kelowna