It has Happened Again....

[exedir]

Though the facts were confused throughout the day, the result, regardless of the details is more gun violence. What happened at the Navy Yard Bldg 197 does fit a pattern, which is includes, confused motives, but nothing is uncertain about the death and trauma done to the victims.

This will rise the issue again for the nation and politicians to consider, is it our laws or culture that makes this happen, the use of guns to kill and maim?

The rest of the world does not seem to have this type of manifest mayhem except in the conflicts of ethic, religions and sectarian differences where even more deadly weapons are used other than guns. We, Americans, have a different relationship with guns and the law and, guns and our culture.

Now what to do about it?

In the end, probably nothing. Nothing, because the idea of the use and ownership of guns is tightly bond with the history of our nation and the people that make it up and has been enshrined in law, precedent and near religious belief. However, even with stricter laws on possession, sale and use of guns would there be a difference as long as our culture is bathed in violence as experienced on the streets and seen on the media.

Again, maybe not, as long as fear is a guiding factor on how some of us live our lives, defending ourselves, our families and communities will trump what others would see as common sense as long as it is not them, their families and neighborhoods that are experiencing the fear and facts of violence.

[exedir]

It happened again....this time in Chicago...this time again about a dozen shoot, including a 3 year old.

Here it was premeditation, probably a legacy of gang bangers going at it for territory and revenge, a war that has been going on in Chicago for years.  The scene this time seems to have been a midnight basketball court and those around it as victims, and yes, victims of hand gun violence.

As to means, clearly hand guns, as to motive, well, some might see this as a reaction to social ills in a desperate part of one of the more violent metropolitan areas of the country, something that has to be expected.  And, yes, Chicago has shown some control over the level of violence by the application of serious police presence in the areas known for violence.  And no, mental health screening probably wouldn't help, even tho the perpetrators probably see violence as normal.    

The ultimate problem in this event is it doesn't stop with this shooting, there will be others as there will be revenge and retribution.  And as far as many are concerned, the best way to deal with this is let those involve settle this one way or another as long as they do it to each other, and keep the collateral damage down, which means in this case  those that have to live in the neighborhoods, in fear and a need to be armed.