The President, between rounds of golf in New Jersey this weekend, found it in his heart to send out his "thoughts and prayers" via Twitter before telling the world, "May God bless the memory of those who perished in Toledo" on Monday. God forbid he commit to memory the name of the actual Ohio city in which nine people were murdered early Sunday morning.
Swamp monster and Senate roadblock Mitch McConnell also tripped over himself, via Twitter, to offer up his "thoughts and prayers". McConnell, a spineless amoeba who has mastered the art of shutting down bills that would actually move our country forward, did his best to feign human emotion. Others probably offered their own "thoughts and prayers" despite being in a place to affect actual, real change.
Swamp monster and Senate roadblock Mitch McConnell also tripped over himself, via Twitter, to offer up his "thoughts and prayers". McConnell, a spineless amoeba who has mastered the art of shutting down bills that would actually move our country forward, did his best to feign human emotion. Others probably offered their own "thoughts and prayers" despite being in a place to affect actual, real change.
Fuck "thoughts and prayers". It's a cop-out, a shrug emoji from people too self-absorbed and ignorant of the problems facing our nation to give a damn.
As of Sunday, there had been 251 mass shootings in America in 216 days. In 2019, 8,736 people have lost their lives because of a gun and 17,306 more have been injured. That's 40 dead and 80 injured every day. And our elected officials do nothing.
Let's not paint this as an issue with a simple resolution. It's complex as hell. It's multi-faceted. One action, decision or law will not fix it.
Start with the obvious: Renew the ban on assault rifles. I don't think it's a coincidence that the volume of these mass shootings increased significantly after the nationwide ban on assault rifles expired in 2004. The five deadliest mass shootings in American history, and seven of the 10 deadliest, have occurred since the expiration of the ban.
These rifles are almost always the weapon of choice for these shooters. The shooters in Las Vegas, Orlando, Sandy Hook, Stoneman Douglas, El Paso, and Dayton, among many others, all used assault-style rifles.
There is no need for a civilian to possess an assault rifle, at any time, under any circumstance. They're too dangerous. Our society has shown we cannot have them without lethal consequences. We move as fast as the slowest members of our society, and when it comes to guns, the slowest members of American society can't stop shooting innocent people.
A buyback program for assault-style rifles would be a good start. Incentivize current owners by paying them cash for every assault-style rifle they return. Give them a tax break or tax credit for returning the weapons. We could use some of the country's ludicrous military budget to give back to the gun owners in this country.
Banning assault rifles isn't enough. Many who oppose gun control legislation say these mass shootings are caused by mental health issues. So let's increase funding and research for treatment of those with mental health issues, especially for those with a history of violence and/or self-harm. Let's pay attention to the people on 8chan spouting hateful rhetoric or those who otherwise express their extreme frustration and anger online. Let's try to identify the people most likely to lash out with mass murder and stop these shootings before they happen.
Gun suicides are a major problem in this country as well. They have outnumbered gun homicides for years. Investing in mental health treatment will not only help potential mass murderers, but it will also help people especially susceptible to suicide.
That still isn't enough. We need to address the disenchanted people in this country. As a good friend of mine pointed out via social media this weekend, a disproportionate amount of these shooters express disillusionment with the state of American society. They figure out that the politicians they voted for sold them a lie. They realize the so-called "American Dream" isn't really available to all Americans. When they realize they're on the wrong side of that equation, they lash out.
The chasm between the haves and have-nots is growing by the day in America, and something needs to change. American citizens all want better for themselves, and many of the disenchanted Americans who were exploited and thrown aside by the system in place were the ones who voted Trump into the White House three years ago. He, and every other politician in Washington, needs to step up and start doing their part to improve the day-to-day lives of our poorest and most neglected American brothers and sisters.
That still isn't enough. News outlets need to stop naming these shooters. We know the names of the kids who shot up Columbine, the guy who opened fire at a music festival in Las Vegas, the person who walked into a church and killed nine people in Charleston. Those names live in our memories because those are the people cable news and major newspapers focus upon. They deify the monsters instead of shunning them. And the next wave of mass shooters - the ones suffering from severe mental illness, the angriest of the disenchanted American citizens, the racists and xenophobes encouraged by Donald Trump's rhetoric - are paying attention. Maybe they're not planning something today, but they've seen what violence can do for them and they've banked it for a rainy day.
That still isn't enough. We need to address domestic terrorism.
Let's take a look at the seven most deadly mass shootings to have happened since 2004: Las Vegas, Orlando, Virginia Tech, Sandy Hook, Sutherland Springs, El Paso, and Stoneman Douglas. That's 231 deaths, enough to fill more than four NFL rosters. All seven shooters were American citizens. Six of the seven shooters were born in the United States. Five were white.
In fact, there have been 18 mass shootings in the last 25 years that have claimed 10 or more lives. Two such attacks, San Bernardino and Columbine, had two shooters. All 20 of those shooters were legal residents of the United States. Twelve were white.
We hear countless cries of the threat Muslim terrorists pose to America. How often do terrorists from Muslim countries actually commit acts of terror stateside? Since the September 11 attacks, there have been multiple terrorist attacks connected to Middle Eastern terrorism. Only three perpetrators were not U.S. citizens at the time of their attacks. Some were, in fact, Muslim, but some were atheists. Many were Christians.
White nationalism is a major problem in America. White nationalists have become the most threatening terrorist group in this country, led and empowered by the 45th President of the United States. Five white men, all of whom either actively supported Donald Trump or spoke with similarly racist, xenophobic rhetoric, have taken 10 or more lives with a gun since Trump took office in January 2017.
That is no coincidence. The Tweeter-in-Chief needs to stop with the divisive, racist, xenophobic, nationalistic language he is using with increased frequency. There is no politician in this country guiltier of building up false hope in an unattainable American dream than Donald Trump. He won in 2016 on the backs of the disenfranchised voters in America who were left behind by the current system. He hasn't done a damn thing for any of them since. He has blamed immigrants, Democrats, and anyone who opposes him. His message is of division and hatred. He aims to Make America White Again, empowering people like the El Paso shooter to take matters into their own hands.
Solving one of these issues alone won't eradicate mass violence. We need to fix them all. Then, and only then, will children in this country start to feel safe at school. Then, and only then, will we be able to enjoy a night out at a dance club or a trip to the department store without looking over our shoulders.
As of Sunday, there had been 251 mass shootings in America in 216 days. In 2019, 8,736 people have lost their lives because of a gun and 17,306 more have been injured. That's 40 dead and 80 injured every day. And our elected officials do nothing.
Let's not paint this as an issue with a simple resolution. It's complex as hell. It's multi-faceted. One action, decision or law will not fix it.
Start with the obvious: Renew the ban on assault rifles. I don't think it's a coincidence that the volume of these mass shootings increased significantly after the nationwide ban on assault rifles expired in 2004. The five deadliest mass shootings in American history, and seven of the 10 deadliest, have occurred since the expiration of the ban.
These rifles are almost always the weapon of choice for these shooters. The shooters in Las Vegas, Orlando, Sandy Hook, Stoneman Douglas, El Paso, and Dayton, among many others, all used assault-style rifles.
There is no need for a civilian to possess an assault rifle, at any time, under any circumstance. They're too dangerous. Our society has shown we cannot have them without lethal consequences. We move as fast as the slowest members of our society, and when it comes to guns, the slowest members of American society can't stop shooting innocent people.
A buyback program for assault-style rifles would be a good start. Incentivize current owners by paying them cash for every assault-style rifle they return. Give them a tax break or tax credit for returning the weapons. We could use some of the country's ludicrous military budget to give back to the gun owners in this country.
Banning assault rifles isn't enough. Many who oppose gun control legislation say these mass shootings are caused by mental health issues. So let's increase funding and research for treatment of those with mental health issues, especially for those with a history of violence and/or self-harm. Let's pay attention to the people on 8chan spouting hateful rhetoric or those who otherwise express their extreme frustration and anger online. Let's try to identify the people most likely to lash out with mass murder and stop these shootings before they happen.
Gun suicides are a major problem in this country as well. They have outnumbered gun homicides for years. Investing in mental health treatment will not only help potential mass murderers, but it will also help people especially susceptible to suicide.
That still isn't enough. We need to address the disenchanted people in this country. As a good friend of mine pointed out via social media this weekend, a disproportionate amount of these shooters express disillusionment with the state of American society. They figure out that the politicians they voted for sold them a lie. They realize the so-called "American Dream" isn't really available to all Americans. When they realize they're on the wrong side of that equation, they lash out.
The chasm between the haves and have-nots is growing by the day in America, and something needs to change. American citizens all want better for themselves, and many of the disenchanted Americans who were exploited and thrown aside by the system in place were the ones who voted Trump into the White House three years ago. He, and every other politician in Washington, needs to step up and start doing their part to improve the day-to-day lives of our poorest and most neglected American brothers and sisters.
That still isn't enough. News outlets need to stop naming these shooters. We know the names of the kids who shot up Columbine, the guy who opened fire at a music festival in Las Vegas, the person who walked into a church and killed nine people in Charleston. Those names live in our memories because those are the people cable news and major newspapers focus upon. They deify the monsters instead of shunning them. And the next wave of mass shooters - the ones suffering from severe mental illness, the angriest of the disenchanted American citizens, the racists and xenophobes encouraged by Donald Trump's rhetoric - are paying attention. Maybe they're not planning something today, but they've seen what violence can do for them and they've banked it for a rainy day.
That still isn't enough. We need to address domestic terrorism.
Let's take a look at the seven most deadly mass shootings to have happened since 2004: Las Vegas, Orlando, Virginia Tech, Sandy Hook, Sutherland Springs, El Paso, and Stoneman Douglas. That's 231 deaths, enough to fill more than four NFL rosters. All seven shooters were American citizens. Six of the seven shooters were born in the United States. Five were white.
In fact, there have been 18 mass shootings in the last 25 years that have claimed 10 or more lives. Two such attacks, San Bernardino and Columbine, had two shooters. All 20 of those shooters were legal residents of the United States. Twelve were white.
We hear countless cries of the threat Muslim terrorists pose to America. How often do terrorists from Muslim countries actually commit acts of terror stateside? Since the September 11 attacks, there have been multiple terrorist attacks connected to Middle Eastern terrorism. Only three perpetrators were not U.S. citizens at the time of their attacks. Some were, in fact, Muslim, but some were atheists. Many were Christians.
White nationalism is a major problem in America. White nationalists have become the most threatening terrorist group in this country, led and empowered by the 45th President of the United States. Five white men, all of whom either actively supported Donald Trump or spoke with similarly racist, xenophobic rhetoric, have taken 10 or more lives with a gun since Trump took office in January 2017.
That is no coincidence. The Tweeter-in-Chief needs to stop with the divisive, racist, xenophobic, nationalistic language he is using with increased frequency. There is no politician in this country guiltier of building up false hope in an unattainable American dream than Donald Trump. He won in 2016 on the backs of the disenfranchised voters in America who were left behind by the current system. He hasn't done a damn thing for any of them since. He has blamed immigrants, Democrats, and anyone who opposes him. His message is of division and hatred. He aims to Make America White Again, empowering people like the El Paso shooter to take matters into their own hands.
Solving one of these issues alone won't eradicate mass violence. We need to fix them all. Then, and only then, will children in this country start to feel safe at school. Then, and only then, will we be able to enjoy a night out at a dance club or a trip to the department store without looking over our shoulders.
Renew the assault weapons ban. Outlaw bump stocks and high-capacity magazines nationwide. Increase funding for mental health treatment, especially for high-risk people and those with a history of violence. Give more to the people who are disenchanted and left behind by society. Tell the nationalist demagogue in the White House to stop fanning the flames of hate in this country and, for the love of God, get him off Twitter. Hold politicians accountable in the voting booth when they don't fulfill their promises.
We're so much better than this. It's about time we show it.
We're so much better than this. It's about time we show it.
