The reason I haven't done this post sooner is firstly out of respect, I suppose. Probably my thoughts on this are likely to be quite controversial, perhaps insensitive, and given the tragic circumstances of the Newtown shooting, I didn't want this to be "too soon".
Secondly, things started kicking off with Piers Morgan, so I decided to take a back seat and see what came of that... Then I was going to do this post last week, but something bad happened to Bieber, so I had to pay my respects to him... Hence, the lateness of this post. But here it is: a focus on gun law in America.
I'm sure you're all horribly aware of the Newtown, Connecticut, school shooting on the 14th December 2012; in which 27 people died, 20 of whom were children. Horrible tragedy? Definitely (some would argue not, but we'll come to that). News? Not really.
In the past 30 years in America, there have been roughly 300 gun-related deaths on school campuses. Or about 10 each year. Gang fights. Crossfires. Suicides. Revenge killings. Accidents. Mass murders. It is by no means a new problem.
So what are they doing about it?
Well, after each "big" tragedy, this is generally what they do: Cry, shake their fists and wonder, "Why,(God)?!" It's as if, after each shooting, they're surprised all over again!
Then the blame happens...
Guns are the problem. Not enough guns are the problem. Lack of school security is the problem. Hollywood is the problem. Social media is the problem. Digital media is the problem. Broken families are the problem. Godlessness is (of course) the problem. Loners are the problem. Unarmed teachers are the problem. Glorified violence is the problem. Defenseless women are the problem. Video games are the problem. Autism is the problem. ADHD meds are the problem. Trench coats are the problem.
And, of course, as always, the gays are the problem.
Then they add some emotional theatre to the mix, cry publicly, try to distract from the obvious. Then say there's no easy answers - excusing the inevitable; that they're going to do very little about it.
Then, they suggest a solution! In steps the NRA (An impartial party with absolutely no political agenda, just a willingness to help America sort out their gun control... with more guns)...
The National Rifle Association says that the answer to gun violence is to place armed officers in schools. Also, less Hollywood and... more guns. Yeah. That should do it. Because if history is any guide, more guns should definitely solve this gun problem.
But, hold on... Doesn't common sense and science tell us the simplest way to end a lot of gun violence is to ban guns?
Oh no, wait... When did America as a nation ever agree on something as simple as science? Examples: Climate change, creationism, and evolution.
So yeah, they'll get angry for a bit, maybe march somewhere, call for big action and ultimately wind up with a compromise that will leave them shaking their heads in surprise after the next shooting.
"How did this happen?!", they'll wonder. Probably Hollywood. Or the gays...
There are valid arguments against a ban on guns, in the view of fair and honest debate.
Personal self defense — out of 31,000 gun-related deaths each year, there are 200 or so legally justifiable defence shootings.
(How we survive in England with no legal firearms to protect ourselves, I will never know.)
National defense — because if the country were to ever get invaded as a whole, Sally, George and Dwight would be able to lend a hand in sorting those baddies out!
Zombie apocalypse defense - Err...
I mean, of course, even I get that target shooting is fun... but I'm not sure it's completely necessary to bag a deer with a .45.
Sure, a gun ban could fail miserably like Prohibition... or, just maybe, America may end up living in a society in which their friends aren't caught in random crossfires, in which their family members aren't hosed down for petty parking disputes, in which they can send their kids off to school and hope somewhere deep down that they make it back alive.
Wouldn't that be a lovely time?
I actually agreed with a lot of points I read in an Esquire article written by Stephen Marche (credit George [@George_Huitson], who tweeted me the article), however controversial it is.
Here's an extract to give you the picture, but you should really read it:
"Why was President Obama crying when he gave his press conference about the Newtown massacre of twenty innocent children? My hope is that he was crying out of shame. Because if he was crying because the children of Newtown are "our children" and this is a "tragedy," if he was crying out of some worked-up sentimental empathy, then forget him. Really. The children of Newtown are not our children, not yours or mine or President Obama's. My children and your children and Obama's children are alive right now. The children who are dead were the children of real parents, and their suffering is not ours. It belongs entirely to them and it is unimaginable."
Marche states that America can't call Newtown a "tragedy", for reasons he goes into... I personally find that too hyperbolic; but I understand the general sentiment.
Anyway, I suppose I'm not the only British person to take this harsh view of American gun law, as recently, Piers Morgan took the floor.
Love or hate the guy, he's been very vocal about his strong advocacy for increased gun control in the United States, so vocal in fact, that he managed to rile up that (lovely fellow) Alex Jones...
If you don't have the time, or perhaps the inclination (I know, Jones is a prick), here's a brief run-down of what happened:
So, Jones and Piers went head-to-head on Piers' CNN show, where Jones called the comments Morgan made regarding gun control and gun ownership in the United States akin to treason, and went as far as to demand the U.S. government deport Morgan. Yes, there was a petition.
Specifically, Jones' petition stated that Morgan "engaged in a hostile attack against the U.S. Constitution by targeting the Second Amendment.", and requested that "…Mr. Morgan be deported immediately for his effort to undermine the Bill of Rights and for exploiting his position as a national television host to stage attacks against the rights of American citizens."
(He's not being deported. Freedom of expression is welcomed in America. Which ironically is a shame, as without it, we would be idyllically unaware of Alex Jones.)
Jones' temper was just ridiculous throughout the show and lead to him making several embarrassingly bizarre comments, including, "1776 will commence again if you try to take our firearms! It doesn't matter how many lemmings you get out on the street begging for them to have their guns taken! We will not relinquish them! Do you understand?" (Note: 1776 marked a pivotal year for Americans against the British during the American Revolution).
Jones' anger seems to stem from the idea that a Globalised World and International Government powers are deliberately attempting to disarm Americans to commit, as Jones put it, "world tyranny." He accused Morgan of being a part of the "New World Order" (lolz. Where's Icke when you need him?). Yes, he even exemplified dictators Adolf Hitler, Joseph Stalin, Mao Zedong, Fidel Castro and Hugo Chávez, who, according to Jones, were able to remove firearms from ordinary people.
Jones also remarked how the United States suffers from "mass murder pills," also known as prescription drugs, and claimed such drugs are responsible for the largest percentage of unnatural American deaths. He made the brief point that the ability of pharmaceutical companies to market and sell such high quantities of prescription drugs deserves greater attention than the gun control debate.
This was all before Morgan attempted to make a point about the difference in number of gun murders in England last year (35) being significantly less than the number of gun murders in America (1,100), whilst Jones shouted over him and attempted to belittle his figures by calling them "a little factoid". Comedy gold.
Throughout all this, it's notable that Morgan sat quietly and politely and nodded as Jones became increasingly passionate about his "world tyranny" theory. Jones' confrontation against Morgan ended with an invitation for Morgan to "become an American and join the Republic" by hunting with him. Sounds like a lovely time!
Anyway, the day after, Morgan said Jones' rant discredited his own argument against gun control: "I can't think of a better advertisement for gun control than Alex Jones' interview last night. It was startling. It was terrifying in parts. It was completely deluded. It was based on a premise of making Americans so fearful that they all rush out to buy even more guns."
(If you don't know much about Alex Jones, look him up; he's a hilarious conspiracist. In fact, don't worry, I'll do a post on him.)
So, yeah, that's the extent of it. Although Morgan wasn't deported off the back of Jones' petition, it doesn't mean anything. The US Government will speak out against criminal gun violence, and yet, when someone comes up with the sensible solution of banning fire arms, they speak out louder against that. A sentiment I am sure has nothing to do with the copious amounts of money the NRA pumps into American politics...
In any case, my fingers are crossed that America implements gun control before the next shooting happens. But if they don't, when it does happen again (which it will), I for one will be more angry with the lack of Government responisbility, than actually with the shooter themselves.
L.
Additional thought:
I hate the way Americans are like, "Why should I give up my rights to firearms because of a few psychos?!". NO. You are giving up your rights to fire arms so children can LIVE!.... Idiots.
