California has some of the strictest gun control laws in the country, and while there’s probably more we could do, all the attempted controls so far have done little to prevent dedicated terrorists from opening up on innocent people. Around the US, there are other states with tough gun laws that have been unable to throttle the useless violence. In the UK, where guns are much harder to come by, mass knifings have been the recent trend of terror. It seems as if the law is unable to prevent people from taking their angst out on their neighbors. Prohibition rarely works…for anything. So what can we do to stop this plague of violence?
I say, it’s time to take the desperation out of American Life. Maybe, if people didn’t feel like they were out of options to make their lives better. Maybe if people felt like there was some hope for the future. Maybe if income inequality wasn’t at an all time high, as employers exploit their workers without regard for a living wage. Maybe if we were truly addressing the psychological needs of our citizens. Maybe if our government were dedicated to improving the lives of Americans, rather than showering us with fear mongering and division as a justification for more and more military spending, instead of money for education, health (including mental health), and the general welfare.
Maybe we could change this painful trend towards violence. Maybe. Maybe we should at least try.
I say, it’s time to take the desperation out of American Life. Maybe, if people didn’t feel like they were out of options to make their lives better. Maybe if people felt like there was some hope for the future. Maybe if income inequality wasn’t at an all time high, as employers exploit their workers without regard for a living wage. Maybe if we were truly addressing the psychological needs of our citizens. Maybe if our government were dedicated to improving the lives of Americans, rather than showering us with fear mongering and division as a justification for more and more military spending, instead of money for education, health (including mental health), and the general welfare.
Maybe we could change this painful trend towards violence. Maybe. Maybe we should at least try.
The Article ‘California already has tough gun laws, but after after a mass shooting people wonder if it’s enough’ originally appeared on http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/california-shooting-tough-gun-laws-mass-killing-thousand-oaks-carry-permit-a8628821.html
Jamie’s comments are his own.
