Most of us this morning woke up to the news of what was happening in Vegas. Politicians are sending thoughts and prayers, and I’m sure social media is lit up with the same. Truth is, we all feel good about sending thoughts and prayers at times like this. Even non-church-goers send their prayers. We move on. Then it happens again. And in between each event, the national discourse shifts quickly to ending Obamacare, travel bans, the wall, immigration reform, and whether kneeling during the national anthem is un-American or not—yet no politician or group dares speak up about gun violence and real domestic terror. It’s simply forgotten.
See a trend here? healthcare, travel bans, the wall, immigration, national anthem–these are all issues the rich use (with the help of the GOP and other purchased politicians) to maintain their status quo, silence dissent, and keep the complexion of the majority of America familiar and white (and by now we all know what Making America Great Again really means–let’s stop pretending like it’s something above and beyond its implied intent). But when the violence is caused somebody with the same complexion as them, as it usually is in these instances, thoughts and prayers are good enough–no travel bans occur, no executive orders, no mad tweets to democrats from the president. Their tails are tucked firmly between their legs, and they move on with tweets the following Sunday targeting NFL players who kneel during the National Anthem–and the result is another engineering of public amnesia (you know, that Jedi mind trick thing they do).
Gun violence is real and scares us all–it is an act of terrorism and a question of national security. It is not something we should brush away. If politicians are truly in office to support what is good for the people they represent – it’s time to focus on stronger gun laws, healthcare for all, and build towards an America that compassionate and all-inclusive. They need to stop hiding behind their big donors who only have their interests in mind.
Politicians – I’m talking directly to you – stop allowing the NRA to peddle their bullshit and pass the kind of legislation that will prevent something like this from happening again–and if this effects your payday Mr. Congressmen or Congresswomen, remember, you signed on to be a public servant and not an NRA stooge.