As an American observer abroad, one’s distress must be heightened but for the relief from not swirling in the soup the domestic experience has become, has always been. The American experience is just that, a state of living in a pot that varys from a simmer to a boil but never quells.
Is this not the most aggressive society in the world in terms of non-institutional violence, citizen against citizen. Is it an abundantly diverse society that only wastes the richness of its diversity with interracial hatred? Does its laws not celebrate unrestrained armed individuality, a lethal love of gun culture? Does it thrive on the wealth of weapon manufacture? Has it not the most destructive military, despite the rhetoric of just cause? Has there ever been an elected official here who’d argue for anything other but the right to bear the means to kill?
This would-be assassin if he were successful was a boy joining a string of boys that would have known they would die in the act—suicide by cop. He would know his life would be made historic if only in infamy like his predecessors. Investigation has revealed a troubled youth and at least a fascination with guns from a gun owning household.
The results of in the wake of this event, described as tragic, are bizarre, surreal: a presidential candidate arguing he was saved by an act of the Christian God, declaring deification? Who would dare not vote for that?
The if/then fallacy almost comically counters such rubbish, for it is reportedly known the young man scoped out the plans of both conventions. That he chose the Republican candidate, under their candidate’s logic, his rival was also saved by God. The freedom of religion clause becomes a noose, not a key to freedom once again.
Susan and I like it here. We live in peace, we’re privileged with relative freedom from persecution, we’re fed and clothed, I can write like this. We are white, not wealthy but comfortable, and mostly left alone. We have access to opportunity. Our only disturbance is the guilt our awareness to privilege and our inadequacy to affect change. With an ear for absurd irony, life here breeds anger towards official paradigmatic self-justification.
When mass violence occurs once again here, the argument repeats, “it’s not the gun, it’s the shooter.” No, it’s the gun; madness’s access to gun within reach is its effect.
As an American observer abroad, one’s distress must be heightened but for the relief from not swirling in the soup the domestic experience has become, has always been. The American experience is just that, a state of living in a pot that varys from a simmer to a boil but never quells.
Is this not the most aggressive society in the world in terms of non-institutional violence, citizen against citizen. Is it an abundantly diverse society that only wastes the richness of its diversity with interracial hatred? Does its laws not celebrate unrestrained armed individuality, a lethal love of gun culture? Does it thrive on the wealth of weapon manufacture? Has it not the most destructive military, despite the rhetoric of just cause? Has there ever been an elected official here who’d argue for anything other but the right to bear the means to kill?
This would-be assassin if he were successful was a boy joining a string of boys that would have known they would die in the act—suicide by cop. He would know his life would be made historic if only in infamy like his predecessors. Investigation has revealed a troubled youth and at least a fascination with guns from a gun owning household.
The results of in the wake of this event, described as tragic, are bizarre, surreal: a presidential candidate arguing he was saved by an act of the Christian God, declaring deification? Who would dare not vote for that?
The if/then fallacy almost comically counters such rubbish, for it is reportedly known the young man scoped out the plans of both conventions. That he chose the Republican candidate, under their candidate’s logic, his rival was also saved by God. The freedom of religion clause becomes a noose, not a key to freedom once again.
Susan and I like it here. We live in peace, we’re privileged with relative freedom from persecution, we’re fed and clothed, I can write like this. We are white, not wealthy but comfortable, and mostly left alone. We have access to opportunity. Our only disturbance is the guilt our awareness to privilege and our inadequacy to affect change. With an ear for absurd irony, life here breeds anger towards official paradigmatic self-justification.
When mass violence occurs once again here, the argument repeats, “it’s not the gun, it’s the shooter.” No, it’s the gun; madness’s access to gun within reach is its effect.
With thanks as ever, Michael - for your reading and thoughts. Sending much love!