Tuesday, June 14, 2016

The Trump Effect

Disgust, frustration, horror, fear …

I’m still digesting the horrific crime of the murder of 49 people in a nightclub in Orlando Florida.  While news agencies rush to bring you the news, immediate speculation of this dark skinned man is that it’s a terrorist act; apparently professed his allegiance to ISIS while on the phone to 911.  However today news is that it’s more likely he was a self-hating closeted gay man and decided to die by gunfire and take many with him.  I’m watching the global reaction.  Horror, disgust, fear, calls for Love not Hate, vigils, bathing your Facebook profile picture in rainbows for support, but what I’m not seeing, what I fear I’ll NEVER see is gun reform in the USA.

This man legally purchased an automatic weapon.  Understand, I’m not anti-fire arms.  I respect the ideology of the right to bear arms.   I get a pistol for protecting your home (although I’d never own one).  I respect a rifle for hunting (although I would never hunt).  What I don’t understand is the reason any average citizen would need a fire arm capable of expending 13.3 bullets in one second.  That’s not defending your home, that’s not figuratively or literally bringing home the moose meat, it’s a weapon with no other purpose but to kill as many as people as possible.  Why is THAT LEGAL?!?!?!?!?!?!


So I’m sitting her struggling with what to say about the tragedy.   Struggling with the horror of people being slaughtered because of who they love, or how they identify.  I don’t want my words to be a trite contribution that does nothing more than lip service.  Over and over again these tragedies happen that kill children, mothers, fathers and there’s always sorrow, grief but in the end, nothing changes.  I was truly saddened while I considered this, then; my Facebook feed fills up with 5 shot near a playground in Brooklyn and an active shooter in Texas.   

I’m sorry ‘Murica, but you’re currently courting one of the most racists, sexist and homophobic men in the world to rule your country.  This isn’t going to end well, not for you, not for the rest of the world.  You’re one of the last super powers, do NOT put modern day Hitler in charge.


I’m scared, and I’m off to Google the Mars Project.


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