Alberta, September-October 2007
17
ALTERNATIVA Latinoamericana
ENGLISH SECTION
America and Violence
California Attorney General
Daniel E. Lungren
Attorney General Lungren made that
statement back in 1995. The situation has not
improved. It has, in fact, become much worse.
There have been 202 homicides in the city of
Baltimore alone this year, (2007) The city is
headed for at least 300 murders this year. Those
are murders alone. It does not include the
hundreds of non-fatal shootings.
On any given day in America one can turn
on the television set and watch, Kick Boxing,
women boxing, extreme fights (Where anything
goes, biting, kicking, punching and knees to the
groin) There is also a daily fair of so called
wrestling (where grown men break metal chairs
over the backs of their opponents and perform
other insane violent acts.) Add to that the films
such as the one that was on while I was writing
this piece. I left it on because I was too busy to
shut the set after the news and it was so
apropros of what I was talking about. The film
was titled "Wyatt Erp". In the movie men are
shooting men in scene after scene. If you do not
want to watch a movie there are many violent
detective stories that include all kinds of murder
and mayhem for you to enjoy.
After they watch the movie Americans can
turn on the local evening news and see how
many fellow Americans were shot, knifed or just
plain killed by other means in their community.
That of course is followed by the death count
from Iraq.
It is true that violence is inbred in
Americans. It is part of our tradition and culture.
We revel in the stories of the Wild West and the
horrendous Civil War. We play World War Two
movies over and over. Actors who were never in
the service glamorize over emphasized violence
in "the Longest Day" a movie about the
Normandy invasion. It is played along with many
other War movies very often on movie channels.
Do not miss-understand me. I
am not saying that violence
belongs to Americans alone.
I
remember one day when I was speaking to
a convention of Church youth groups about the
Civil Rights struggle in America. During the
question period one young women said," I am
afraid to go downtown because they (meaning
Blacks) are so violent." I lost my composer, for
which I later apologized. "You mean like that (N) (I
used the forbidden N word) Hitler who was
responsible for the deaths of millions of innocent
people Or that (again the N word) Truman who
dropped the atom bomb and killed 70 thousand
people in one day and then a few days later did
the same thing again?"
No we Americans do not have a corner on
Violence. No race or ethnic group does, but we
have made a religion of it. We have poisoned
each generation with it and allowed the mass
media to ridicule those who oppose it. We have
made it into the most profitable product that we
produce. Like sex, violence sells. One can not
watch an American football game without seeing
the joy a "Great Hit" brings to the announcers.
The "Great hits" are played over and over
interspersed, of course, with commercials.
Violence sells.
Two subjects that American politicians dare
not touch without risking burned fingers, are Gun
Control and of course the plight of the
Palestinians. Both of these subjects are guarded
by the most powerful lobbies in Washington and a
political career can be dashed on the rocks by
supporting the Palestinians who are suffering
from the American intercourse with the Israelis'
violence (who came by their brand of violence
suckling at the breast of the American military
complex) and calling for gun control to protect
Americans who are also suffering from their own
violence.
US Children are ten times more likely to die
from gunfire than in 25 industrialized nations
combined. For young black males in the US guns
are the leading source of death...In 1995 one in
12 students reported carrying a firearm or some
other weapon. In 2004, 81 people were shot dead
every day in the US according the US center for
decease control. 29,569 were killed by firearms
that year.. Data from the U.S. Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention also reveals that every
day; nearly eight children or teens are killed by
gun violence in America which adds up to about
235 each month.
Where did they get the guns? That is the
question gun control advocates continue to ask,
but it is like trying to find an acceptable answer to
the so called mid east crises. Everyone knows the
answer, but no one can apply it. Let's just dream
for a minute. The answer to the gun lunacy can
be simple. Guns, in particular hand guns, are
used to kill people so the US government should
take over all gun manufacturing businesses that
make huge profits from the gun murder rate and
see to it that only the law enforcement people and
the military have guns. Why do any others need
them?
There was a time, not too long ago, in
England when even the Bobbies didn't carry
guns, but since the huge influx of illegal weapons
they are now forced to carry them in order to
protect themselves and the general public.
The gun nuts still parrot "Guns don't kill
people, People kill people." No, people with guns
kill people more often. They will also quote from
the second amendment to the constitution "A well
regulated Militia, being necessary to the security
of a free State, the right of the people to keep
and bear arms, shall not be infringed." June 21,
1788.
The small country of 1788 when much of the
population had to hunt for food and many still
worried about Indian wars was a much different
place than the three hundred million divided
population of present day America.
The second amendment should have been
amended before the Wild West became so wild.
For decades cowardly politicians have never
been able to rewrite it so that it will really protect
the people. After demands by law enforcement
agencies who have found some of their men
outgunned by outlaws (Protected by the second
amendment) the best they could do is try and
control military assault weapon being used by
criminals. They even failed in that.
Oh my, how the neo-cons will scream. Take
over an American business, that is socialism they
will say. No, it is common sense to save the
children and in turn save the nation. It might even
inspire the United Nations members to demand
weapons limitations. Of course, the merchants of
death will also join the chorus and scream that is
Marxism being promoted by the dangerous Peace
people.
David Truskoff
(www.countercurrents.org)
"America is, by far, the most violent country in
the world when measured against comparable,
industrialized nations. Violence is deeply rooted in
our society and has become woven into the fabric of
the American lifestyle. A culture of violence has
emerged that invades our lives at every level, from
our most intimate relationships at home to our
schools and work environments. For many of us,
violence has become an acceptable strategy for
solving conflict, exerting power and control,
obtaining possessions, and satisfying emotional
desires. Moreover, violence has itself become
entertainment, glamorized in the behavior of both
real and fantasy heroes."
A summer trip to the USA proved a good antidote
for the smugness Canadians often feel as we regard
our neighbours. While Canada learns to live with its
first-ever military quagmire, America appears to be
looking forward. While Canada is led by a George W
Bush clone in Stephen Harper, Americans appear
ready to talk with hope and passion about the future,
for the first time in years.
Many good things happen at the grassroots level
in the States, despite the best efforts of the corporate
world and right-wing politicians. There is, for instance,
the wonderful White Flour story making its way around
the Internet. It concerns an attempt to hold a rally by
Ku Klux Klan supporters in Knoxville, Tennessee.
Instead of holding a rally, they were ridiculed by
a creative group of clowns who quickly won the
support of local police and citizens. After being
humiliated, and, in one case, arrested, the would-be
rabble-rousers roused themselves out of town in their
SUVs.
In Michigan, Americans were flocking to
Michael Moore's outtakes and setting up commu-
nity transit using hybrid buses
Where we visited, in rural Lelanau County,
Michigan, local people have responded to climate
change and rising gas prices by organizing, among
other things, a community bus service. Amazingly, the
buses are hybrids that run on biofuels.
In nearby Traverse City, filmmaker Michael
Moore was co-hosting an international film festival, the
highlight of which was out-takes from Sicko. His new
movie has Americans talking heatedly for the first time
in years about health care and the role of the
corporations in everyone's lives.
Back home, the Toronto International Film
Festival (TIFF) is packed with explosive and thought-
provoking documentaries and dramas from the
America. TIFF co-director Noah Cowan said, in The
Globe recently, "This is a year flush with strong
political cinema starring famous people." Americans
are making political films because they are ready for
change.
None of these observations ignores the alarming
evidence that the lame-duck US president wants very
much to attack Iran, based on the same kind of false
premises that got the nation into the Iraq debacle.
This lame duck is armed and dangerous.
Sadly, Canada is now led by a minority
government that believes fervently in the things
Americans are coming to reject. Stephen Harper
promotes the warlike Bush approach in Afghanistan,
the Middle East and around the world. When he goes
calling in the Western Hemisphere, usually to states
with human rights abuse records, Harper promotes
Bush's corporate trade regime. When he hosts
conferences here, he works in secrecy protected by
provocative and menacing police.
While Americans fight for national health care,
Canada's corporate and political leaders fight to take
it away from us. Cases like that of the Calgary
quadruplets who had to go to the States for treatment
are used to support the notion that medicare is in
crisis.
Ironically, the crisis is most extreme in Alberta,
the government of which promotes private-health care.
The oldest play in the privatizers' book is to
undermine public services, destroy public confidence
in them, and subsequently do away with them.
Is Canada headed in that direction? Ask Brian
Day, the new head of the doctors' lobby, the Canadian
Medical Association. He's onside with the privatizers
too.
Comedian Rick Mercer may find it satisfying, but
Canadians should get over their love of looking down
their noses at Americans.
Ish Theilheimer (Straight Goods)
Canadians have no
cause to be smug
.
Democratic spirit bubbles up south of
border while Canada slips backward