There’s been another shooting in the United States! This one in El Paso, Texas, the one from a day or two ago was in Michigan, the other one was here, there, everywhere. What is going on? Is it the proliferation of guns? Is it poor mental health? Is it homegrown terrorists? (Well, they cannot blame it on the Muslims, or should I say Islamist terrorists. Although Obama said we should not use that terminology, but he was wrong because a Muslim is a God-fearint believer in Mohammed and the Koran, while an Islamist terrorist is a trained killer, motivated by his belief in hatred). But I digress…
I don’t blame guns. While I lived in the US I always had guns, and carried one (not just for my profession as a L.E.O.). And I lived in the US when these things did not occur and people still had their guns. So what is going on now? I think it is the proliferation of stupidity. Phones, tablets, portables and desktop computers are getting smarter and smarter. A.I. is getting smarter too, but the lassies and laddies, unfortunately, are getting stupider and stupider. They don’t have the same drive to create, to understand reality. For them (and I know I am generalising) reality conforms to a video game. And I blame that industry for dumbing down America and a large portion of the developed-industrialised world.
I don’t blame mental health either. I blame education, or lack there of. Parents are not educating their children. They are not giving them good examples to follow nor teaching them real values. Parents let the tele screen teach their children and naturally they come out uneducated, rude, selfish and undisciplined. I served in the US Army. They taught me many things that have helped me in life and still are. But now only the very poor seek the armed forces as a viable alternative. The privileged, the sons of senators and rich capitalists, if they seek a military career, they have West Point available…
So there’s been another shooting… Does anyone over there really care? And this is not a rhetorical question. I would like to hear some replies from my colleagues that live in the US (or anywhere else, after all it is our world and we all have a right to opine even if it is about other countries, let us not be so prudent and diplomatic, we’ve all an opinion, speak out!)
In the meantime, parents, children, listen to Graham Nash wrote so long ago and that CSNY sang for the benefit of all of us:
Cheers…
JaZzArt en València 
Francisco, first, I want to thank you for your service. I have always prided myself on my patriotism, however, in the past few years I have become ashamed of my country. Well, my country’s government anyway. Mass shootings have become so prevalent that people have become immune. «Oh, the news announced another shooting? Must be Tuesday.»
Our country has become so divided, we can’t even remember why we’re fighting or what we’re fighting for. I don’t blame guns, video games, or mental health itself. What I blame is the system. At my last job, my insurance didn’t cover mental health, and I certainly could not afford therapy out of pocket. Why would any insurance company not cover mental health?? We train our military to be killing machines and think differently than civilians. We train them to be highly-skilled in areas civilization will never need, and then once their time in the service is over, we throw them back into society and expect them to adapt. I have heard there are more options for veterans, which is great, but it makes me sad that it has taken so long. I believe that Americans have the right to bear arms, but I think we should have to prove that we are mentally stable enough to own them. Not every American should own a gun simply because they are American.
I do think Technology has made us dumb in many ways, but technology is global, and other countries do not have the amount of mass shooting America does. Unfortunately, I don’t have the solutions, and even of I did, I don’t have the power to make people listen, but things are scary. I am really worried about the state of America, and the world. But for whatever it’s worth, I do care.
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Thank you Kristian, I know you do care, as I am sure that our fellow bloggers, with which we interact daily, care and millions more too. And I believe you are right to be scared. These are scary times for all people from all countries. I lived in the US, and grateful to that country and its ample mix of cultures and languages, and I am saddened to see that “progress” has brought more heartache and pain than happiness and satisfaction for so many. Mental health is not a route to criminal behaviour or to become a killer. It is a minute percentage of mentally ill people that kill indiscriminately, so I am totally infuriated when some mayor or governor blames the mentally ill for such horrific crimes. I do blame it on the erosion of reality that many video games have created in young and developing minds and you are right, that is international. However, in many other countries culture ties children closer to family values than in modern-day US. So I think that makes the difference, together with the fact that in most other countries a lass or lad of 18 cannot get their hands on a firearm of any kind. I sincerely hope that education, the kind parents are supposed to give their children, returns in the proper and traditional way as I believe that will make the difference. And, in my opinion, faith, religion, spirituality, should return to the schools because although I know one can be an atheist and still be a moral person, I don’t think it is so for the majority. Children need discipline and guidance, and parents need to be the educators, the demanders of discipline and respect and not be buddies to their kids. There will be time for that when they grow up. Thank you Kristian and all the best.
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It’s devastating and scary what’s happening and I’ve first hand accounts that shake me in my boots Francis. I was somewhere the other day with an outburst and I was shaking in my boots and I live in a «good area». No one is immune. I have seen family members die and friends die in these tragic and nonsensical acts of violence.
Tensions are high and people are frustrated and when they see it is ok to barge into the capital with encouragement from leaders, it is adding fuel to fire!
«reality conforms to a video game. And I blame that industry for dumbing down America and a large portion of the developed-industrialised world.»
I don’t blame mental health but we do have 4-6 out of 10 suffering and parents not minding the shop with guns floating around and others able to get way too fast. This is multi faceted but there is NO reason that people should be able to attain guns of this magnitude so easily … I agree with Kristen. Those should be banned.
My daughter is a teacher and I worry about her safety. Many parents expect the school and teacher should educate their children while they should be active participants in their education.
Thanks for your concern and years of service!
💗🙏🏼
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Thank you Cindy, I understand your concerns very well and I just hope and pray that people, all of us, wake up and come back to reality and use technology as a tool that we control and not a force that controls us. May God bless.
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You’re so welcome. I do agree with you Francis. Things are out of control! Bless you as well! ❣️
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The fabric of family breaks down, the destruction of nations follows.
Youth lack strong role models and at times have not learnt to respect authority. Growing up lack of spiritual guidance, confused, taught being politically correct is more important than speaking the truth.
I can go on, but it saddens me, and I shall go and pray instead.
Thanks for writing these words out my friend.
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Thank you Cassa, and you’re right, we all need to be more spiritual and pray. All the best.
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💚
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I saw it coming back in 2003. life goes on, go where you are better off period.
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For sure.
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Well said, Francisco. I saw a meme on Twitter which said something like You ban books but do not ban guns because you are more afraid of your children getting educated than you are of getting them killed. Rings very true to me.
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Scary thought though…
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Very scary. Mixed up priorities.
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Yes, absolutely.
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PS. Love that song. It was our anthem in college.
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A great tune, for sure.
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As a fellow veteran and LEO, I too have carried a sidearm most of my adult life. I am a gun owner and proud supporter of the 2nd Amendment. But we obviously have a problem here in the U.S. I think it is that we have coddled our children and protected them from anything negative to a fault. Now, when life just doesn’t go their way, they lash out in anger because they were never taught to handle disappointment or accept consequences. Of course, it is probably a heady mix of things that create the situation we are in now, but I can’t help but think our parenting, or lack thereof, has a major role to play. Great post, my friend!
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Thank you my brother, and I fully agree. Guns, by themselves, are not the problem. Back in the 70’s and 80’s everybody still had guns and you rarely heard of these kinds of random shootings, especially by young people. I am in favour of people being allowed to own guns, but I do believe it should be only those qualified, that can prove, just like in the police academy, that they are capable, responsible and prudent. If we don’t let our police go out with a weapon until they have been certified, how can we allow an 18 y/o to buy an AR-15? Here in Europe young people are in the same situation, they are not well educated at home anymore, but the difference is that they cannot lash out with a firearm. Great points and I truly appreciate your input, as a former LEO and US Marine. Thank you for your service and sacrifice my brother!
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My pleasure, dear friend!
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You have gone into depth of mass shootings. It’s so scary!
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It is my friend, it is very scary! All the best to you!
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I was at church trying to go to confession, and some guy went nuts because he didn’t want to wait. He started calling other people names and calling them «racists.» I kept thinking, «Okay, what am I going to do if this turns violent?» Now, if I was in charge, I would have just let the guy go next and avoided all the chaos. But the others insisted on maintaining the line and politely explained to him how it worked. They were very calm and reassuring. He went out into the lobby and waited. After I went to confession, I went out to the lobby and talked to him and his wife. They were apparently out-of-towners who were judging the situation by how their church operates. I let him know that he was next, and he went to confession. But good grief, his behavior was out of line, and I was appalled that somebody would behave that way in church. People in America are being taught that it’s okay to be violent, rude, and act like a fool. It’s cultural and a breakdown of polite society.
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That kind of behaviour is a product of someone’s lack of socialisation and socialisation comes from being well bred and taught respect and manners. But if parents tell their child that they are «the» special ones, concede them everything they want, not let them develop values or even give values to things and to acts, they think that everything is and has to be their way and they then behave in ways unacceptable in our society. Those that take it to the next level, of actually hurting people because their feelings were hurt or because they perceived and injustice are similar, but with a more violent personality. I saw many cases like this while in the police, that parents would defend their children knowing that their children were wrong, and setting a bad example, and subliminally telling the child that it is ok, as long as you do it, society is wrong, the cops are wrong, but you are special. It is destroying the fibres of society. Anyways, I am glad nothing happened and you were able to talk to the man and everyone left in peace. All the best Dawn.
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I saw that in mental health, also, even with the violent ones. The parents refused to admit that there was anything with their child, or adult child, didn’t want the police involved, didn’t want to be embarrassed and held responsible, etc., so the person could never get the right help. There are a lot of problems with our mental health system in the USA, so I do believe that contributes to the shootings. So many of these shooters have a history of mental health issues. But you can’t pin it down to one thing. It’s too complex.
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It is definitely a complex issue Dawn, I quite agree. Thank you.
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