End Senseless Violence Now!

Sitting in my hotel room in Russia at 5:30 a.m., I awoke to news reports of yet another tragic shooting. A gunman entered an elementary school and killed either 27 or 28 people including himself. Twenty of the dead were children. That was all the news I needed to hear… Whether President Obama or the thousands of people on Facebook, sympathetic comments flowed and hearts went out to all the grieving families. But as I sat there thinking, all I was left with is, "Why?" It is hard to comprehend this senseless act of violence. This, like all of the other senseless shootings that occur, is happening far to often. After years of watching news reports about mass shootings throughout America, I can only ask when are we really going to stop this madness? I understand that it is impossible to control the actions of a few, but it is possible to limit their access to weapons of mass destruction. As a historian, I am dumbfounded that we have yet to learn our lessons from past mistakes. That is the point of history… to learn from what has happened and NOT let it repeat itself if possible. Some things are inevitable, but many things are avoidable. After watching the assignations of some of our leading political figures including President Abraham Lincoln, Dr. Martin Luther King, Minister Malcolm X, and the attempts on the life of President Ronald Reagan, one might think that gun control would be in full effect. But no! Not even the Brady Bill has been able to curb the violence. Instead it has gotten worst as assault rifles have been used to kill thousands of innocent people. Are we really at war with each other? The recent violence on college campuses including Va tech (twice), the Colorado Batman movie shooting, Columbine, the recent Oregon mall shooting, and now the Connecticut elementary school should prompt a new determined response to end the accessibility of semi-automatic weapons by civilians. Do you really need an assault rifle to go duck hunting? I think not. Of course a large part of the problem is the NRA lobby and the fact that guns are big business in America. It's clear America makes money off the sales of guns, but is it really worth it when the price is the life of innocent children? Can't we as a nation produce something else other than guns, bombs, drones, nuclear missiles, etc? What about creating and producing art? When was the last time you heard of art killing someone? I get it. it's big business in America, but is the price we pay really worth it? As the the world's leading supplier of guns, heavy artillery, and weapons of mass destruction, we are simply fueling the fires at home and abroad. Whether it's the undercover gun flow to cartels in Mexico or to the rebels in countries that we are at odds with their ruling parties, America must own that we are a big part of the problem. But it's not too late, we can be the solution! I am aware that the founding fathers granted us certain inalienable rights… including the right to bear arms, but they were using muskets. Back in the 18th century, it was a necessary evil to have a gun for self-protection. That made sense being strangers in a foreign land. But even then the use of guns was unjustified; considering the Native Americans, who ended up on the wrong end of the barrel more times than not, were using alternative means of defense. The Native Americans, part of my cultural heritage fought gun fire with bows and arrows until they realized that the bullet was stronger, faster, and more deadlier. Once they were able to obtain guns, they attempted to level the battlefield. Fast forward to the present. It is understandable that soldiers at times of war utilize guns and heavy artillery for protection and defense of their positions, but it is not understandable that a deranged, unstable person be allowed to walk into a gun store and purchase body armor and enough ammunition and weapons to take out a small militia. It's simply unfathomable and utterly ridiculous. How many more of these incidents must we endure before we put the pressure on our elected officials to make CHANGE happen? Too much talk and not enough action! Perhaps we should take drastic measures and close all of our schools and simply home school our children? At least parents will feel a bit more secure in the fact that their children might only fall harm to some household mishap such running into the edge of a coffee table or slipping on a floor. I am not advocating bubble wrapping our kids and sheltering them from everything that is potentially bad, but I am adamant that we reduce the possibility that they be put in harm's way. This goes for any innocent bystander! As a resident of Southern California, the level of random gang violence and senseless killings of non-gang related individuals seems to never end. It is unfortunate the number of lives that have been lost in random drive by shootings. It is even harder to comprehend a premeditated mass killing. The power lies within the hands of the U.S. Congress to do the right thing. It is apparently clear that too many politicians rare more concerned with the financial support and political favors they receive to affect change. My guess is that it will take an armed gunman to walk into the halls of Congress and starting killing them one by one before they get the message. Wasn't the shooting of representative Gabby Gifford enough of a wake up call? Obviously not! Until they stop talking about it, and make a concerted effort to enact real gun reform, the madness will just continue. By real gun reform, I mean remove all assault rifles from the market and prevent ALL civilians from obtaining any weapon type of semi-automatic or automatic weapons. Though I am personally against the use of guns, I understand that there are many people who may need a gun for self-protection. They should be allowed to obtain a handgun if they are deemed sane and capable of handling a without incident. My personal belief is that guns should only be used by the military at times of war. I am even hesitant to allow police the right to bear arms because often times, many of them use their weapons unwisely. If we as a society become "gun-free", there would be no need to bear arms. Perhaps I watched too many episodes of the Andy Griffith show when I was a kid, but that image of a sheriff who chose not to carry a gun and solve problems and disputes with alternative means impressed me. Unfortunately the U.S.A. in 2012 is not the U.S.A. in the 1955. Admittedly things have changed for the worst, but it is not to late to make our country a safer place for those who remain. Learn from the past so that our future will be better! If we don't act now, when will we act? It might be to late. The U.S. could make a huge statement by banning guns period. Other countries potentially would follow and our world as a whole might have a chance to survive. As I typed that last statement, my mind immediately thought perhaps that is part of the problem. Maybe that's really what is at stake in the New World Order? Maybe the violence is allowed to happen so that we can control our population numbers globally? That's a topic for another blog, but to that I say, "There has to be a better way." I am reminded of the scene in the movie "Friday" when John Witherspoon's character is counseling Ice Cube's character about the use of a gun. To paraphrase, he said, "Real men don't use guns to settle their disputes, they use their fists'". No truer words have been spoken! Before the invention of guns, people fought with their hands, use spears, knives, lead pipes, pick-axes, machetes, or baseball bats. I would much rather see us go back to those primal methods of self-defense than have to deal with the potential fallout of deadly gunplay. The problem also arises that guns too often end up in the hands of young children as well as the aforementioned deranged, lunatics. If proper measures are taken to ensure that only certain individuals in our society are deemed a "gun master', then at least the possibility of random mishaps may diminish. Otherwise we risk the lives of everyone, everywhere, at anytime. I strongly urge anyone who reads this piece, to contact your congressmen and women. Let your voice be heard! We must mobilize and use our power as a mass to override the greed of a few. Our lives and the lives of future generations are at state. It's hard enough to survive in life dealing with the struggles against Mother Nature (i.e. natural disasters), but it is incomprehensible that we allow a few to continually jeopardize our existence based on their non-sensible whims. If things don't change in America soon, it may be time to find a new place to call home. I don't live in fear of anything except God, but it is very unnerving to think that going to a mall or movie might be hazardous to your health. I understand why some people choose to order in groceries, home school their children, and have full entertainment units in house. Why take the chance of losing your life randomly and senselessly. Life is full of risks, but many can be avoided and some can be all together eliminated. Let's act now before it's too late!