Spittle flies in my face.

I stare him down. He glares at me.

"You don't know anything!"

Shouts he, veins throbbing on his brow.

"Not all people with guns are killers,

"Not all guns will be used for harm,

"Not all children are in danger!

"This is the fault of the mentally ill,

"This is the work of Democrats who want to take my rights away,

"This is the land of freedom and guns and self-defense!"

You make a good point, Mr. NRA.

In fact, let's collectively agree to hand out guns to everyone,

With the exception of the mentally ill, of course,

Who will unfortunately have to be executed post haste.

Sad, yes, but it must be done,

Because we can't have any more crazy people running around with guns.

And while we're at it,

Let's make sure to let the families of shooting victims know

That their killers had the right to bear arms,

And they are just unfortunate casualties of someone who was pushed to the edge

By Democrats, who wanted to take his guns away.

"You are impossible!" he bellows, jowls quivering in rage.

"Don't you see? Once we change gun laws, everything else is subject to change."

Yes, because the whole world hinges on gun laws.

But let's make the concession that all things will change:

Maybe that's not so bad.

Maybe we won't have a school shooting once a week.

Maybe we'll never hear about a gunman entering a school and killing children ever again.

Maybe other things will change, too -

Maybe we'll get a woman to lead research and advocacy about women's health.

Maybe we'll get an environmental scientist in charge of the EPA,

Instead of an ex-CEO of an oil company.

Maybe we'll get a politician who's in touch with the pulse of the nation

To lead the raging, pulsing nation.

Maybe we can re-think everything we've been taught,

Maybe we can make the world a better place,

Maybe we can leave the old behind and forge ahead

And maybe we can do so without your guns.