This
morning, after the deadliest shooting in US history I feel overwhelmed with
sadness for the victims and with incredible anger at politicians and the gun lobby and all who
make it so difficult to keep weapons of war out of the hands of people who have
no business owning them.
Once again
an assault rifle was used on innocent people out having a good time on a
Saturday night. The police have called it domestic terrorism. It may also be a
hate crime of huge proportions since the Pulse Club where the shooting took
place was a gathering place for the LGBTQ community. The shooter was only 29
and an American born son of Afghani parents. Immediately some began to ask if the shooter was a
radicalized young man… and what religion did he adhere to. He is Muslim. At the last minute before beginning his rampage he apparently called 911 to pledge allegiance to ISIS - almost I would say, like an afterthought.
Yet, without a doubt the
focus will turn to that one young man and his immigrant family.
I just want
to know why he could own an assault rifle.
Why do we allow it? Why is the gun
lobby so powerful and who is making money off the sale of these weapons? It is
time for reasonable people to demand change, to protect the innocent, to
prevent chaos, to promote peaceful resolution to conflicts and assistance for young people struggling with purpose or identity.
As I reflect on the incredible number of mass shootings am I the only one to see some common threads?
The shooters are for the most part young, male and angry. They are also US citizens.
There is no common religion although several have been Christian and several Muslim. How can anyone blame this on "radical" Islam without also looking at the "radical" Christians? Should we lock up all angry young men? Should we stop Muslims and Christians at the border or just deport them all? None of this makes any sense. We are looking for answers in the wrong places.
50 people
are dead today. 50 families in mourning.
53 more are in the hospital. How long
will we have to wait and how many more people will have to die in order for our
nation to adopt reasonable gun control laws?
No private citizen needs an
assault rifle.
No one.
