The rise in number of mass shootings could spell death of freedom

San Bernardino Mass Shooting Response

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Wes Howlett, Copy Editor


 

The mass shooting in San Bernardino on Dec. 2 that left 14 dead and more than a dozen wounded was horrific. Just like the last shooting. And the shooting before that. And the one at the theatre. And the one at the elementary school.

You do realize what’s happening, right? The more we stand by and let this happen, the less we care that it’s happening—the less we care about an increased police or other security presence – in short, the less we care about freedom.

Ben Franklin said he who would give up his freedom for security deserves neither.

Well, what do you think of that?

If we don’t stop these deranged and disassociated individuals from shooting up our schools, our malls, our churches, our airports—our country, freedom will die. Sometimes I read the news and think maybe it already has. But there’s a chance America can still claw its way back out of the grave.

This isn’t about guns anymore. This isn’t about mental illness. This isn’t about videogames or religion or him or her or them. This is about us. We have a major problem. Psychotic people are killing members of our families indiscriminately. Scarier still, this is a reflection of the depravity and ambivalence in our society as a whole. America is almost as terrifying as what is happening in the Middle East. Is this the way we want to continue living?

It’s not the way I want to live.

So what should we do about it? Obviously we can’t rely on the government to do anything about it; our house and congress are so worthless and so gridlocked that they can barely pass a budget. The NRA is so deep in politicians’ pockets that you don’t have to guess what they’re reaching for. And mental health is not a priority in this country; large numbers of mentally ill homeless people in our cities attest to that.

We have to do something about it. You have to do something about it. Americans need to exercise civil disobedience to save the country.

Demand to be heard. Hold sit-ins at the capitol. Organize protests in front of government buildings. Speak your mind; this is still a free country for the time being. Tell those on the hill that you have had enough of their inaction. We want to live in a safer society and it can be achieved.

If it starts to cost the state money, and the government starts to lose face, you bet they’ll pass laws which require gun owners to have yearly psychiatric evaluations, laws which limit the number of guns a single person can own, laws which limit the types of firearms consumers have access to, laws which require background checks at gun shows and laws which mandate psychiatric evaluations for children and teens who attend public school.

Are you going to sit back and accept these acts of terror as business-as-usual, or are you going to do something about it? I’m not giving up on America yet.

The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of Wes Howlett.