J’Accuse

I am writing this article in a state of anger and with great sadness.

Sadness because 19 children and 3 teachers have been cruelly murdered in what has seemingly become a weekly event in the United States.

Angry because many members of the American political class share some responsibility, and guilt, for these and all these mass shooting /murders over past thirty years.

Basing themselves on a totally outdated and irrelevant amendment to the U.S. constitution, proponents of gun ownership seek to arm everyone regardless of their physical or psychological makeup. They advocate the right of every person to carry arms in public and have passed “stand your ground” laws in some states that justifies the use of a gun for any reason that can be justified for self-defense while refusing to endorse the need for any background checks prior to the sale of even a military style weapon.

Most of the politicians are funded by the National Rifle Association (NRA) who are funded by their membership but as well as by gun manufacturers who seek to grow sales to a willing and enthusiastic market.

This collective always reacts to mass murders involving guns by claiming that mental illness is the problem or that violent video games, television programs and movies are to blame.

Yet hundreds of millions of people around the world suffer from mental illness, watch television, videos, and movies. They also have frustrations or anger that they feel that they must manifest, and every country has psychopaths and sociopaths.

What these countries don’t have is a political class that idolizes the possession of guns as a basic human right.

And what most global citizens lack is easy access to sophisticated weapons capable of killing dozens at a time.

Yes, other countries have had some mass murders over the past few decades, but their legislators immediately passed laws restricting the availability of weapons of this nature and ensuring that the ownership of weapons, where permitted for hunting or sport, are carefully controlled. Meanwhile, America has had 27 school shootings so far in 2022. Think about that, 27 and we are not even halfway through the year! 

Many in the American political class that receive millions in contributions from the NRA respond to these ongoing vicious mass murders with “thoughts and prayers”, hoping that some deity will reduce these terrible events without their having to give up their goose that lays the golden eggs.

Most believe in the right to life prior to birth, but, after birth, children are on their own. Tens of millions go through active shooter drills in their schools on a weekly basis. These have become normalized, and the fear that this reality instills on the young and not so young is of little concern to gun advocates.

You can’t walk into a store, entertainment event, mall, or restaurant these days without a subconscious fear that violence may greet you at any time. In fact, along with school shootings, so far in 2022, more than 200 mass shootings have taken place in America!

This is so wrong.

Yet as time goes on, it becomes normalized as people accept this as a reality with which they must live.

I disagree and believe that the members of the political class who support guns everywhere must be held to account. They are indirectly complicit in these murders by not taking any action to prevent access to the weapons used.

The people who vote for these politicians are also share some responsibility, since it is their vote that gives legislators the power to hold all Americans hostage to the gun lobby.

There is one way to stop the flow of guns into a violent marketplace.

Vote.

Vote en masse for candidates who are not beholden to the gun lobby.

For candidates who support the right to life after birth, and the right of children and adults to live free of fear and anxiety.

Hold the guilty accountable and vote them out of office, and elect leaders who will reduce and, eventually, eliminate this plague that stalks all Americans.

The voters have the power.

Can they unite to use it wisely?

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Keep reading: The Last Summit of the Americas?

Edición: Laura Espejo