12.15.2012

Gun Violence in America,Where the Shit Hits the Fan..


If not now, When?

20 innocent white children died yesterday because another privileged white boy took his parent's weapons and acted out, horrifying America. Babies died. Teachers died. It was an almost unheard of attack on a school, except that it had happened before, at Columbine and Virginia Tech. Two days earlier another one walked into a mall in another non-urban area and killed two before killing himself. Other crazy white boys have turned churches into shooting ranges to demonstrate their hate of people who are different.

What makes this so horrifying was the age of the latest victims, 5-10 years old. Even President Obama teared up while delivering the country's condolences via nationwide news coverage.

Yet, Obama's press secretary shut down the press who dared to ask for a response, by saying “today is not the day.”

I am truly sorry so many little white kids died, yesterday. I really am. But the day to hold this conversation on gun violence in America was this past summer when gun death stalked the streets of Chicago. The day to hold this conversation was when the crazy white supremacist walked into a Sikh Temple and killed innocent people of color.

The time to hold this conversation was when Amadou DiAllou was killed at his front door, or when Sean Bell died in his car the night before he was to get married, or when Trayvon Martin was killed while walking home, or the young man was executed in the back seat of his friend's car, down in Florida, a few weeks ago.

The time to hold this conversation is the next time a bullet rips through a wall and kills a kid thought to be safe inside her own bedroom

The time to hold this conversation is whenever the Mothers of murdered children hold a march and vigil in the neighborhoods of the inner city, commemorating the lives of their dead children, just as innocent and cut down in life way to soon.

These victims, people of color, usually, are equally as innocent as the ones who died at Sandy Hook, or Columbine or Virginia Tech, but they are totally forgotten. The daily body count is not even mentioned in the same breath with what happened in these communities “where things such as this just never happen.”

Mass murders seem to be increasing in upscale communities, and I guess I should welcome the coming storm of media coverage that follows rich white people and their children when they die. However,  daily killings go on in urban centers unabated, and unreported, and all we get is silence from Washington.

Another crazy white boy takes out a Congresswoman and nine others, and all you hear from Congress is silence when one of their own is cut down.

Nothing. Nada.

Neither side of the congressional aisle had anything to say when Gabbie Giffords was shot, or yesterday, proving that Democrats are as bought and paid for by the National Rifle Association as Republicans. Everybody who calls himself a politician suckles at the NRA money tit, regardless of the outcry coming from the people they are supposed to represent.

The second amendment was not meant to be stretched this far or used for the purpose of allowing crazies to arm themselves with big guns in order to kill the rest of us. I've got no problem with hunters or home protection. But the question that has to be answered is, what “game” are you hunting for with an AK-47 or a gun that fires wall piercing bullets?

Which brings me back to the President. Having recently won re election in a landslide, isn't it time to speak up on the things that people care about, namely gun violence, stopping the wars altogether, and rebuilding infrastructure, mental health issues, climate change and the environment?

Not like the prez is going to lose any votes by addressing what we think is in his heart. The blue collar and rich white men who hate him now, are not gonna change their minds if he stays silent on gun control.

They're already pissed off, so let's go all the way and piss them off some more.

We the people gave Obama his Teflon coat of armor. Now is the time to put it on and take down some of the demons that plague us as a country. Time to make some real, meaningful change.

Top of the list, gun violence and mental health.

How about it Mr. President?









1 comment:

Don Rice Jr. said...

I understand the desire to have gun violence and mental health at the top of the "to do" list, but I disagree. It should be very close to the top, like as soon as the top item is in the works, get this in the works. But the top item should be jobs with a living wage, so that people can live decently without having to scrimp just to get by, especially with a family. That has a great deal to do with the mental health issue, becasue it would relieve much of the stress causing those mental health problems. And by all means, reverse the Reagan-era closings of mental health facilities that put people on the streets who shouldn't even be out in public without supervision. As for gun violeence, yeah, that's also tied in directly to mental health. The gun control laws on the books need to be enforced, and mental health screenings should be required for anyone who wants to purchase, own, or use any firearm or for that matter, any kind of weapon. That's my take on the issue, anyway. Great blog! I enjoyed reading this!