How did we get to this point?

We all read the newspapers and watch the news on tv, so we're all aware of the sad state of our country. Young men killing each other in horrifying numbers, more and more young folks are experimenting with deadly and highly addictive drugs, and sadly changing the course of their lives, forever. Entering into a life that is totally consumed with feeding their ever growing need for drugs, they will turn to absolutely anything to procure them. A good friend lost his daughter last year to drug addiction, while another friend battles to keep his daughter on methadone and out of the drug underworld. This is a huge problem, people. The neighborhood that I lived in for 28 years is unrecognizable 5 years after I moved. It has been completely taken over by the drug users and their suppliers. At any time of the day or night you can walk the main avenue and be accosted by dozens of prostitutes and drug dealers. It's like walking onto a hollywood movie studio. I can't believe how bad it is. There is no police presence visible, and very little pedestrian traffic. It's like the entire neighborhood is in it's death throes. And the city has to bear most of the blame for it. And the state the rest of it. And I guess the blame shouldn't stop there. Isn't it the federal governments' job to protect us? Why won't our politicians take guns off the street? Why don't they make owning a handgun illegal? It works in England. Even the police do not carry guns. But then again drug abuse is government sanctioned. Which when you think about it, kinda makes sense. If you can get your daily fix for free,there isn't any need for drug dealers , or drug turf wars, or guns and violence, or prostitution,or robbery. In this country the laws favor the criminals because they don't have rules they have to follow as to whom they can shoot.If they are in a situation where using a gun is necessary they are already doing something illegal, so what does it matter if they add a gun charge to their crime? But good Joe Citizen has a whole set of rules that he must follow if he is placed in a situation where deadly force is called for. If you are home and someone enters your home without your permission, even if he is armed and robbing you, you must warn him that you have a gun and tell him to leave and wait until your life is lethally threatened before you can use your weapon to defend your life and your belongings. Because if you don't ,you become the criminal. And heaven forbid, you shoot him outside of the rules that you must abide by,you will go to jail, and the criminal will own your home after he sues you in civil court. How about this one; you are walking down the street and you are accosted by a gang of thugs that are armed with knives that are intent on robbing you.You are carrying a gun and you have a permit to do so. You can pull out your gun and shoot them, right? Wrong! First, you must try and flee. Only when you are absolutely sure that your life is on the line, can you use your handgun. And this action is open to interpretation by the police and the district attorney. And if their opinion differs from yours, bingo, you are now a criminal. Sweet,huh? I could go on with scenerios all day. But the point that I am trying to make still remains; if no one has a gun all of this is moot. But our politicos aren't about to buck the powerful gun lobbyists in Washington. It would be political suicide. So the slaughter continues.Young men will continue to murder each other over drugs and drug turf. Young men that aren't old enough to know how precious life is. And young women will continue to become drug addicts, and turn to prostitution to support their addiction. And they too are too young to realize that they have changed their lives forever. God help us.....