The War Zone in Our Backyard
Now, that’s a stunning statistic. More gun deaths in the US than in Afghanistan or Iraq. There is lots to say about the insanity of America’s gun culture — and refusal to regulate weapons. I mean, how outrageous is it to outlaw semi-automatic weapons? Here, it’s important to take stock of the growth of white nationalism and supremacy. We saw it rear its head in Charlottesville two years ago. We’ve seen it in the past year in Pittsburgh, Christchurch, and, last weekend, in El Paso. Death and destruction we thought only possible in the hands of Islamic “terrorists.” Indeed, the very word itself makes you think of the Middle East, someone brown and different.White America has long seen itself above others, including those of us who are relegated to be hyphenated Americans, because of our names, religion, and appearance. As if an “American” were an ethnic identity, rather than a value and an aspiration. The current leader in the White House proclaims to want to “Make America Great Again,” yet he can’t get beyond his myopic and infantile need for applause and approval. If America is to be great, it needs to refocus to aspiration. Aspiration is what built this country, however hard that was. There’s more to say here, but, we’ll leave it at that.
- It is not enough to dismiss mass shootings as horror beyond our comprehension. It is our duty to understand their meaning and confront the movement that relies upon them, writes Kathleen Belew. (NYT)
- What does the world think about the US and its guns? Yeah, that Americans are crazy. Caitlin Hu has the details. (CNN)
