America: denial on trial

Jul 24, 2017 Letters

---

Dear Editor,
The recent shooting in Alexandria, Virginia of Republican members of Congress and others while playing baseball, should be viewed as only a part of the problem that currently ails the great nation. This fact may not be aptly stated or politically correct but America—the land of the Free and the Home of the Brave is on the brink of political anarchy. Yes, the continued spewing of vitriolic rhetoric, the undying quest and ceaseless prayers to have the President removed from Office has reached fruition- giving birth to bloodshed. Basically, America is raising her own genre of terrorists.
Please do not misquote or misconstrue my train of thinking and writing, but I wholeheartedly agree that the killer bears full responsibility for the act committed. However, it would be asinine at best not to address the rapidly spreading anti-Trump malignancy that has sadly engulfed the nation commencing from November 16, 2016. Sowing is logically followed by a corresponding harvesting. On June 11,three days prior to the shooting, Huffington Post, contributor Jason Fuller in an op-ed stated that impeachment and removal from office was no longer enough, that Donald Trump should face justice.
In addition, let us not for the briefest of moments forget the following gestures, though made in jest but nevertheless with the primary intent of clearly conveying the message of repugnance for the president—the comedian who beheaded the President; the video by rap musician and artist Snoop Dog where he places a fake gun to Trump’s head, fires it, and a “Bang” sign comes out the barrel; the production funded by taxpayers called ‘Killing Republicans’; the Shakespearean drama by the New York Central Theatre summer production where Julius Caesar was portrayed as Donald Trump; the secondary school teacher who wagered as to whether the President would be assassinated; the teacher who inside her very classroom pretended to execute the president; the professor who clearly stated that House Republicans should be lined up and shot.
Well, ironically prayers and wishes are oftentimes heard and answered, and on June 14, 2017, James Hodgkinson believed to be a supporter of Bernie Sanders almost succeeded in converting a baseball field into a killing field.
Now the FBI and the ATF are acting as if they’ve discovered Yukon gold, and obsessing on the fact that the now-deceased shooter was bitterly against the policies of the president, and had also volunteered for the presidential campaign of Bernie Sanders.
Clearly caught up in the anti-Trump frenzy, America has once again missed the mark, seemingly by resent rather than intent. Blatantly evident political biases has caused distraction from the undeniable reality, that on the very same day that the Republicans were targeted in Virginia, three UPS employees were killed in a workplace shooting in San Francisco. Their deaths in no way politically motivated, and failed to arouse undue media attention.
The issue of gun control was totally avoided, and in its place was a call for Americans to pray for the recovery of wounded Congressman Steve Scalise and the other four injured, to unite and put aside political differences. After a mass shooting thoughts and prayers expressed on social media are meaningless, rote responses that creates the illusion of a caring compassionate nation. America must stop and take a hard look at what not only her politicians but everyone is saying and doing. Pray tell how many more shootings must take place before America stops dodging the bullet and focus on guns and gun control? Will the shooting of the Congressman serve as a turning point? Hardly likely!
While we continue to devote our attention in bashing and trashing the elected President, prematurely ensuring that he does not serve his full term, or be re-elected, the proliferation of guns in America continues. While we continue drawing and shaping seemingly false conclusions about the race, background, political views, affiliation and motives of shooting suspects, the next set of victims have already been targeted. While we disregard the incident itself and focus more on singing the praises of Capitol police and first responders, we fail to see the imminent apocalypse in a nation that has been permanently transformed.
Never in the history of America has a president been so despised, but whether America continues to fight or unite, faces the facts and alters her acts depends on how much value is placed on the lives of her citizens. Rational and sensible changes are called for, in fact they are long overdue, and there is no harm in revisiting the citizen’s Second Amendment right to bear arms. Denial can no longer be on trial; too many lives have been lost.
Yvonne Sam 

---

---