Yesterday's emails from gun safety groups implored me to watch Gabrielle Giffords' "inspiring" testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee. While I understand the use of this adjective as it describes her courage and perseverance, my adjective would be different: "heartbreaking"comes closer to the presentation I watched. For this once lively, articulate Congresswoman from Arizona could barely read better than the children gunned down last month in Connecticut.
The victims of gun violence in America include many more than those who actually die each year. Disabilities abound as lives are shattered every day. Emotional trauma passes from one generation to the next in families destroyed by this scourge. And communities are torn apart by the dangers of an armed society.
Whenever I'm asked to sign a gun safety petition, I always write in the comment section, "End the madness." For this is what it is. Our arrogance and stupidity are breathtaking--that we don't look to other countries as models, that we disregard the views of our police and public safety officers, and that we think the rights of gun owners supersede the safety of the rest of us.
Wayne LaPierre said yesterday that "it's time to throw an immediate blanket of security around our children" by installing armed security officers in schools. How about throwing a blanket around guns instead, keeping them in as few hands as possible with strict regulations?
I for one would feel a lot safer.
Showing posts with label Tucson shootings. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tucson shootings. Show all posts
Thursday, January 31, 2013
Monday, September 10, 2012
Survivors
In the midst of an otherwise stirring and inspiring convention, I found one moment unspeakably sad: when Gabrielle Giffords, the former Congresswoman from Tucson, led attendees in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance. If you didn't see it, you can click here for a video replay; however, you may not wish to. For you will be reminded of the painful fallout from gun violence. Ms. Giffords, once a leader and thinker in her community, struggles like a child to get through her performance.
Perhaps not coincidentally, The Washington Post ran an article on Saturday about D.C. survivors of gun violence. These are the lesser well-known, largely African-American men confined to wheelchairs for the rest of their lives. In the support group they attend, they may learn from each other what it means to survive: "How a good day now might mean opening a soda bottle without help, or dialing a phone number on the first try, or putting a gun to [their heads] and not pulling the trigger."
Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick said in his speech on the convention's opening night, "It's time for Democrats to stiffen our backbone and stand up for what we believe." He may not have been talking about gun violence, but I am. While I'll reluctantly accept that it may be political suicide to tackle this problem in the midst of a presidential campaign, I won't accept silence from Democrats once re-elected.
Our party's platform states that "We can focus on effective enforcement of existing laws, especially strengthening our background check system, and we can work together to enact commonsense improvements--like reinstating the assault weapons ban and closing the gun show loophole--so that guns do not fall into the hands of those irresponsible, law-breaking few."
Is it too much to ask our elected officials to follow through? I don't think so.
Perhaps not coincidentally, The Washington Post ran an article on Saturday about D.C. survivors of gun violence. These are the lesser well-known, largely African-American men confined to wheelchairs for the rest of their lives. In the support group they attend, they may learn from each other what it means to survive: "How a good day now might mean opening a soda bottle without help, or dialing a phone number on the first try, or putting a gun to [their heads] and not pulling the trigger."
Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick said in his speech on the convention's opening night, "It's time for Democrats to stiffen our backbone and stand up for what we believe." He may not have been talking about gun violence, but I am. While I'll reluctantly accept that it may be political suicide to tackle this problem in the midst of a presidential campaign, I won't accept silence from Democrats once re-elected.
Our party's platform states that "We can focus on effective enforcement of existing laws, especially strengthening our background check system, and we can work together to enact commonsense improvements--like reinstating the assault weapons ban and closing the gun show loophole--so that guns do not fall into the hands of those irresponsible, law-breaking few."
Is it too much to ask our elected officials to follow through? I don't think so.
Thursday, July 26, 2012
Thoughts on Gun Violence
1. It's hard to know what to say anymore, especially for those of us who can't believe the insanity of our gun laws and our bizarre relationship with weapons. Nothing anymore, no matter how heinous, moves us to do anything about our violent country. Those who suggest even the slightest bit of regulation are ignored or denounced.
2. When I hear people argue that armed citizens in the Aurora movie theater last week might have prevented the tragedy, I feel like putting my hands over my head and screaming. What kind of delusion is this and where does such thinking come from? It defies both common sense and experienced testimony--that of Joe Zamudio in Tucson, for example, who--armed when he came upon the Gabrielle Giffords shooting--almost shot the wrong man. And a 10-year study of New York City police officers showed they hit their targets about a third of the time in actual shooting situations (Robert Spitzer, author of The Politics of Gun Control, speaking on The Diane Rehm Show). We're to believe that regular folks sitting in a movie theater or college classroom could do better than this?
3. When my mother asked someone at her church why anyone needs an assault weapon, he answered, "because they're fun to shoot." Many gun owners, for some reason, think their rights supersede the safety of others.
4. The only data I could find on the difference in opinion between men and women on gun control comes from the Pew Research Center in March 2010. Those surveyed were asked if states and localities should be able to pass laws banning handguns. Only 38% of the men responded yes, while 51% of the women responded yes. Interestingly, the other groups with high percentages responding favorably were non-Hispanic blacks (64% yes) and Hispanics (61%). I guess those of us with the least power would like better protection.
5. It's wrong that we ask our police officers to stop cars, enter homes, and patrol neighborhoods where citizens may be better armed than they are. How can they focus on protecting us when they have to worry about protecting themselves? Even the most innocuous incident can turn deadly for police officers. This is immoral.
6. Initially I ignored the predictable emails this week from the Brady Campaign. After all, the organization hasn't been very successful. But then last night I answered the phone, even when the display indicated "unknown name, unknown caller," got out my credit card, and made a donation. I simply can't give up.
2. When I hear people argue that armed citizens in the Aurora movie theater last week might have prevented the tragedy, I feel like putting my hands over my head and screaming. What kind of delusion is this and where does such thinking come from? It defies both common sense and experienced testimony--that of Joe Zamudio in Tucson, for example, who--armed when he came upon the Gabrielle Giffords shooting--almost shot the wrong man. And a 10-year study of New York City police officers showed they hit their targets about a third of the time in actual shooting situations (Robert Spitzer, author of The Politics of Gun Control, speaking on The Diane Rehm Show). We're to believe that regular folks sitting in a movie theater or college classroom could do better than this?
3. When my mother asked someone at her church why anyone needs an assault weapon, he answered, "because they're fun to shoot." Many gun owners, for some reason, think their rights supersede the safety of others.
4. The only data I could find on the difference in opinion between men and women on gun control comes from the Pew Research Center in March 2010. Those surveyed were asked if states and localities should be able to pass laws banning handguns. Only 38% of the men responded yes, while 51% of the women responded yes. Interestingly, the other groups with high percentages responding favorably were non-Hispanic blacks (64% yes) and Hispanics (61%). I guess those of us with the least power would like better protection.
5. It's wrong that we ask our police officers to stop cars, enter homes, and patrol neighborhoods where citizens may be better armed than they are. How can they focus on protecting us when they have to worry about protecting themselves? Even the most innocuous incident can turn deadly for police officers. This is immoral.
6. Initially I ignored the predictable emails this week from the Brady Campaign. After all, the organization hasn't been very successful. But then last night I answered the phone, even when the display indicated "unknown name, unknown caller," got out my credit card, and made a donation. I simply can't give up.
Thursday, May 26, 2011
The End of the World
I laughed (along with lots of people) at Harold Camping's apocalyptic prediction this week. On Sunday afternoon I told my family I would be leaving them soon, and at 6:00 that night--when the rapture was supposed to start--I said, "I feel like I'm floating." The jokes about these supposed ends of the world are themselves endless.
But then on Tuesday The New York Times ran two articles together: one on Camping's revised prediction that both the rapture and the world's end will arrive now on October 21, and one on the aftermath of the Joplin tornado--the search for the living and the dead. In reading the articles I realized that the monster tornado hit Joplin around the same time that Camping's saved souls were supposed to be ascending to heaven. At around the same time that the rest of us would begin our hell on earth.
Which is exactly what happened in Joplin, Missouri.
We don't need firebrand preachers and Bible-waving soothsayers to remind us that the end of the world arrives every day for someone somewhere on the globe. If we forget, we're quickly reminded by storms or by illness or by death.
If the rapture ever comes, it will surely take all of us for none of us deserves the suffering we endure. It's part of being human.
But then on Tuesday The New York Times ran two articles together: one on Camping's revised prediction that both the rapture and the world's end will arrive now on October 21, and one on the aftermath of the Joplin tornado--the search for the living and the dead. In reading the articles I realized that the monster tornado hit Joplin around the same time that Camping's saved souls were supposed to be ascending to heaven. At around the same time that the rest of us would begin our hell on earth.
Which is exactly what happened in Joplin, Missouri.
We don't need firebrand preachers and Bible-waving soothsayers to remind us that the end of the world arrives every day for someone somewhere on the globe. If we forget, we're quickly reminded by storms or by illness or by death.
If the rapture ever comes, it will surely take all of us for none of us deserves the suffering we endure. It's part of being human.
Monday, January 17, 2011
Responsible Republicans
When Sarah Palin chose to state her case before the country on the same day as President Obama spoke in Tucson last week, she cast herself as the de facto head of the Republican party. It was a stunning move and, from accounts across the political spectrum, it was a stunning failure. Fortunately.
As I listened to her speech that morning, I was struck by the defensive, angry tone that others have noted, and I was struck by her lack of gravitas, her lack of reflection, and her inability to move beyond herself.
Is this the Republican party at its best? I wondered. Where is the reasonable, dignified leadership that we need from this party? It's a leadership that fails to condemn the extremist wing of its own party, allowing violent rhetoric to fill the airwaves. Almost no one speaks up against the vicious lies circulated about President Obama and the anti-government hatred spewed daily.
The only incident I can recall when any Republican pushed back against the vitriol occurred in the 2008 presidential campaign. A supporter of candidate John McCain derided Barack Obama as "an Arab," to which McCain responded, "No ma'am, he's not, he's a decent family man--a citizen." (Well, sure, many Arabs are decent family men, too, but McCain at least sought to dispel the myth of Obama's citizenship.)
We need more censoring like this from our Republican leadership. Even those of us who are ardent Democrats lose out when the opposing party fails repeatedly to show wisdom and restraint. We need thoughtful, educated people at the top, proposing solutions to real, serious problems, not people who spout slogans and tout tax relief.
I hope that Sarah Palin's shallow presentation last week wakes up the sleeping giant--or rather, the sleeping elephant--of responsible Republican leadership. God knows we need it. As long as Sarah Palin and her ilk constitute the face of the Republican party, we'll remain stuck in hatred and recrimination.
As I listened to her speech that morning, I was struck by the defensive, angry tone that others have noted, and I was struck by her lack of gravitas, her lack of reflection, and her inability to move beyond herself.
Is this the Republican party at its best? I wondered. Where is the reasonable, dignified leadership that we need from this party? It's a leadership that fails to condemn the extremist wing of its own party, allowing violent rhetoric to fill the airwaves. Almost no one speaks up against the vicious lies circulated about President Obama and the anti-government hatred spewed daily.
The only incident I can recall when any Republican pushed back against the vitriol occurred in the 2008 presidential campaign. A supporter of candidate John McCain derided Barack Obama as "an Arab," to which McCain responded, "No ma'am, he's not, he's a decent family man--a citizen." (Well, sure, many Arabs are decent family men, too, but McCain at least sought to dispel the myth of Obama's citizenship.)
We need more censoring like this from our Republican leadership. Even those of us who are ardent Democrats lose out when the opposing party fails repeatedly to show wisdom and restraint. We need thoughtful, educated people at the top, proposing solutions to real, serious problems, not people who spout slogans and tout tax relief.
I hope that Sarah Palin's shallow presentation last week wakes up the sleeping giant--or rather, the sleeping elephant--of responsible Republican leadership. God knows we need it. As long as Sarah Palin and her ilk constitute the face of the Republican party, we'll remain stuck in hatred and recrimination.
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Tucson
After President Obama's moving remarks last night at the University of Arizona, the music of John Lennon filled the air for a brief moment as we listened to "Imagine." As I sang along, I was struck by the many dates and locations in my life that are marked by violence: The Dakota in New York; November 22; Dallas; Memphis; the kitchen of the Ambassador Hotel; Columbine; September 11; Virginia Tech; and now Tucson.
If we are to become the nation that President Obama inspired us to be, I wish we could become a less violent one, both in word and in deed. That anyone needs to own a Glock mystifies me. That some with mental illness are left, untreated, to simmer and finally erupt disturbs me. That violent imagery is considered an acceptable part of our heritage angers me. That children end up in the path of gunfire saddens me.
How will the world end? Robert Frost asks in his poem "Fire and Ice." From what I've seen of this troubled landscape, it will end in both. For desire and hatred seem interwoven in this complicated land of ours, and we keep losing our way--only to find ourselves mourning another Tucson.
At the same time, I hope John Lennon will never stop singing. Imagine, just imagine, "all the people/Living life in peace."
Just imagine.
If we are to become the nation that President Obama inspired us to be, I wish we could become a less violent one, both in word and in deed. That anyone needs to own a Glock mystifies me. That some with mental illness are left, untreated, to simmer and finally erupt disturbs me. That violent imagery is considered an acceptable part of our heritage angers me. That children end up in the path of gunfire saddens me.
How will the world end? Robert Frost asks in his poem "Fire and Ice." From what I've seen of this troubled landscape, it will end in both. For desire and hatred seem interwoven in this complicated land of ours, and we keep losing our way--only to find ourselves mourning another Tucson.
At the same time, I hope John Lennon will never stop singing. Imagine, just imagine, "all the people/Living life in peace."
Just imagine.
Monday, January 10, 2011
Reality Checks
Just days before the assassination attempt in Tucson, my friend Dee and I were talking about how impossible it is in America to speak honestly about the problems we face.
We all know, for example, that children who arrive at school ill-fed and unprepared are unlikely to succeed; yet to say so is racist. We see our dismal rankings in international health statistics and know that we don't have the best health care in the world; yet to say so is treasonous. We know that pouring billions of dollars into Afghanistan won't repair our crumbling bridges, roads, and airports; yet to say so is unpatriotic.
It didn't seem like anyone was speaking honestly about anything--until Saturday afternoon when Pima County Sheriff Clarence Dupnik let us have it. Outraged by the killings in his home community, he said that "the anger, the hatred, [and] the bigotry that goes on in this country is getting to be outrageous." He cited "the vitriol that comes out of certain mouths about tearing down the government" and lamented that "this has not become the nice United States that most of us grew up in."
Finally. Someone not afraid to speak the truth.
We need more people like Sheriff Dupnik--willing to name the ways our society has veered off-track and lost sight of the common values of decency, respect, and fairness. If a sheriff in Tucson, Arizona, can name so clearly an insidious undercurrent in modern America, then other elected officials can do the same.
We should expect no less from those who call themselves leaders.
We all know, for example, that children who arrive at school ill-fed and unprepared are unlikely to succeed; yet to say so is racist. We see our dismal rankings in international health statistics and know that we don't have the best health care in the world; yet to say so is treasonous. We know that pouring billions of dollars into Afghanistan won't repair our crumbling bridges, roads, and airports; yet to say so is unpatriotic.
It didn't seem like anyone was speaking honestly about anything--until Saturday afternoon when Pima County Sheriff Clarence Dupnik let us have it. Outraged by the killings in his home community, he said that "the anger, the hatred, [and] the bigotry that goes on in this country is getting to be outrageous." He cited "the vitriol that comes out of certain mouths about tearing down the government" and lamented that "this has not become the nice United States that most of us grew up in."
Finally. Someone not afraid to speak the truth.
We need more people like Sheriff Dupnik--willing to name the ways our society has veered off-track and lost sight of the common values of decency, respect, and fairness. If a sheriff in Tucson, Arizona, can name so clearly an insidious undercurrent in modern America, then other elected officials can do the same.
We should expect no less from those who call themselves leaders.
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