Deadly culture

The reaction of the American people on the recent shooting rampage in Arizona, USA is really remarkable. The whole nation is grieving much more deeply and in greater pain that intensifies rather than subsides. It has been almost a week now when 20 people were gunned down leaving six of them dead at a shooting spree perpetrated by a 22-year-old school drop-out. But up to now, Americans continue to mourn the victims especially the dead, among whom are Federal Judge John Roll, nine-year-old third grade school girl CristinaTaylor-Green, and the primary target, Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords of Tucson Arizona, who as of this writing is still fighting for her life with a gunshot wound on the head.

Mourners gathered at the White House, where the American flags were flown at half-mast and where Obama himself and his wife expressed “grief and shock in the tragedy that took place”. In a statement given later after calling on the American people to observe one minute of silence in honor of the victims, Obama said: “In the coming days we’re going to have a lot of time to reflect — and as President of the United States but also as a father, obviously I am spending a lot of time just thinking about the families and reaching out to them”.

More notable is that news-photo showing the steps of the US Capitol leading to the Lower House packed with hundreds of gloomy Congressional workers and some lawmakers braving the freezing temperature as they prayed and held hands in observing that one minute of silence ending with the poignant invocation of Congressman Emmanuel Cleaver who asked “for the blessings on the spirit of this nation”…for help to “move us from this dark place of darkness to a place of sunshine”… and “to keep our hearts pure”.

Even the US Supreme Court Justices paused in between hearings to observe a minute of silence for the victims. In Wall Street, New York, stock traders also suspended their frenetic trading to remember the victims. Closer to the place of the tragedy, in Tucson Arizona, a makeshift memorial was set up outside the District Office of US Rep. Gabrielle Giffords and in front of the hospital where tearful residents prayed for her recovery.

At the Mesa Verde Elementary School of Christina Green, reports say that the school children and the authorities were in shock, sorrow and nightmare as they deal with the tragedy. Reports say that since the shooting, school children suffer nightmares as they asked again and again why a stranger would kill Christina, or would the gunman come back and try to shoot them also? Or is it still safe to go to a supermarket?

To be sure, this is not the first time such kind of tragedy happened there showing how low they value human life. But never before has the psyche of the Americans been so seriously affected. They were tremendously jolted by this event evidently because: (1) it happened at a place where they least expected it since it is the most public and apparently safest” place teeming with people – enough to deter even the most mentally deranged or fanatically driven assassin from carrying out his evil plot; (2) the motive for the rampage is not so clear although the police theorizes that it arose only from sharp differences in political belief, which, by their standard, should not have ended in such senseless carnage; and (3) the victims are the most innocent and utterly defenseless ones especially the nine-year-old third grade child and the federal judge who just attended his usual daily mass to drop by and say hello to his friend Giffords who was conducting her regular meeting with her constituents at the supermarket.

Curiously enough the police investigators are centering more on the gunman and his personal and political background. They describe him as mentally unstable who was booted out of community college last year and who was driven to commit such outrageous acts by political divisiveness over some government programs particularly the health care bill.

The tenor of the investigation clearly proves that the US police investigators are intentionally or inadvertently overlooking or ignoring the more important reason behind the tragedy. They fail or refuse to consider what is literally and figuratively the “smoking gun” itself which is nothing but the gun culture now prevailing in their country. Just about anybody can arm himself, own and carry a gun there. In fact the gunman here bought his 9mm Glock semi automatic Pistol at a local store only last November. Ironically his primary target, Rep. Giffords is one of the democrats who even “support loose restrictions on gun ownership”. Hence, in response to the shooting, some lawmakers are now urged not to carry guns.

That shooting rampage in the US once more brings into focus and confirms, more graphically, the truth in the rallying cry of a local group which says “kung walang baril, di tayo mababaril”.

Before the American tragedy happens here, our government, specifically the Executive and Legislative Branch, should consider more seriously and urgently the main advocacy of this group called “Mga tagatulak ng kapayapaan”, to limit the carrying of guns in public places. They have filed a bill in Congress known as “Citizens Protection Act” allowing only those in charge with the maintenance of peace and order to carry firearms in those places.

Of course, the government, particularly the PNP must take some steps first to assure citizens that it is safe for them to roam around even without any means to protect themselves from criminal elements. It must first of all rid itself of scalawags within its ranks who are the primary reasons for the citizens’ fear and distrust that drive them to carry guns. Then the PNP should also improve crime prevention and crime solution which are vital ingredients in the enforcement of laws and maintenance of order. If these steps are already done, Congress can then enact the bill promoting gun control. This is the atmosphere conducive to a more prosperous society where the country’s resources will be more equitably distributed leading to true and lasting peace.

Of course all these are easier said than done. But they can be done if only our leaders can muster enough of, what else but…”political will”.

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