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Yosemite under Orion's gaze

Monday, May 8, 2023

We're Number One


Warren Buffet says it is over for America, the glory days are gone. Look at any metric, pork bellies, corn, cars, we are down from our superior global perch across the board. But we are kicking their ass in one area apparently, mass killing.

Mass killings have happened with staggering frequency in the United States this year, with an average of about one per week, according to a database maintained by The Associated Press and USA Today in partnership with Northeastern University.

It is an interesting link, be sure to check it out, breaking the shootings down by gender, location, etc. Wish we were better at other things. But it's certainly been a banner year for bloodshed. America, you've outdone yourself!

I am not sure what the solution is to our apparent societal thirst for vengeance but I am not sure that easier access to assault weapons and and ammo and denying better background checks will help matters in any way. But what do I know?

Conservatives have been pretty consistent about thwarting gun control, many say the only answer is more Jesus and posting the ten commandments in the schools. We will see if that works but I'm not personally real optimistic.

They say one mass shooting a week but it feels like every day.

3 comments:

Linda Wilson said...

Very interesting article! Sadly, I don’t see the US getting out of this mess anytime soon. I suppose at my age I better get used to it. More damaging is my personal collateral as I absorb my angry towards those that defend the direction that continues to enable. Sad sign.

Blue Heron said...

Bobby,
There you go again! Blaming guns, instead of the loony toon who pulled the trigger. I guarantee if he had no gun he would have pulled out his chain saw. Please be more objective in your blog. I’m surprised you did not pull a Biden and call him a MAGA Republican. shame on you!

Love and Kisses,
B

Jon Harwood said...

It really is a gigantic mess and any solutions are guaranteed to be only partially effective and slow to show results. The current right and left BS of polarizing the debate only f**cks it up more. Often some politicians rush to mental health as something to blame and they have the right general target. The WEIRD thing is that far more than deranged crazies, narcissists and narcissism is seen as the issue with more mass shooters than anything else. This is embedded in our collective psyche as the virtuous strong male who takes no guff and uses whatever methods are needed to get rid of "bad guys". Changing that culture would be a multi generational project.

The far right far vs. left mess is starting to resemble intractable conflicts like those seen in Northern Ireland or Israel. I think the hippies were right in the sense that if we can't come together with some kind of "love" or mutual self respect we are then going to head down the road of endless conflict.