I AM anti-war, no compromises. But the discussion about guns or stricter
gun regulations is an entirely different matter. First of all, I am
not totally against guns—as a tool to instill peace and order by
law enforcement. I was asked should we arm ourselves in the wake of
this series of mass shootings? No. Definitely no. What, engage
perpetrators to a gunfight at O.K. Corral like it's the wild, wild
west again? Is that the answer? I leave legislators—after
community-level forum or citizens plebiscite—how to devise ways and
means to impose stricter laws and regulations in the sale and
purchase of guns. That's what legislators and leaders are for...
Meantime,
how can we pinpoint a “sick” person when we usually come to such
conclusion of one's deadly mental derangement after the fact? A
citizen with spot-clean criminal record or a former inmate, a known
schizophrenic or a quiet dude with a ready smile in the `hood?
Records say that we can never tell who cracks up at the dead of night
and start packin' up to mow down humanity with high-powered guns.
So
what could be my proposal, I was asked.
Increase
police presence, hire more cops on patrol in the community,
especially in public places—both in uniform and civvies. Improve or
upgrade law enforcement surveillance and monitoring. Surely though
that proposal may/will invite protest—in the light of a number of
complaints about alleged police brutality and abuse of power lately.
Hence, a stricter hiring system must also be in place. Which points
to exemplary leadership by those who send out orders from the Oval
Office down to City Councils.
But
do we still believe in our police force and/or the leadership at
hand? That is the problem. Based on what I read and hear, more
Americans are disillusioned with the system, in general. According to
the latest Gallup Poll, only 8 percent of the citizenry have
confidence in Congress, down by 16 points from a long-term average of
24 percent. But there is hope in people's faith in police though,
despite recent criticisms. Some 52 percent are confident in the
police (57 percent historically). The citizenry offer more confidence
in the police than other significant institutions—like the
presidency, Supreme Court, banks, big business, organized labor,
newspapers, and television news—which are all down. That is the
problem right now.
Loss
of faith. The survey didn't state though a graph regarding people's
faith in traditional faith or religion. But writings on the wall say
many have strayed away from God or the Church. It is an intense issue
that I don't intend to discuss here though. Bottomline, people have
lost faith in so many things. All we hear are complaints. Meanwhile,
the US still ranks as #1 globally in one-person households, not
because of circumstance, but by choice. Me myself who was born and
raised in a culture that thrives on communal “din,” haven't
experienced the kind of loneliness and isolation that I got into in
America. It is often not a question of how many people I'd hang out
with or how often, it is a more an issue of acceptance in a crowd
that sadly rejects and admits based on cliquey requisites. A person's
mere choice of food and sexual orientation limit association. This,
while people suffice with forums and knowing each other, via social
media and all those little e-gadgets.
Who
do we believe? We don't. Hence, to protect us from evil—get a gun?
Like it's war time. We don't believe in governance, we don't believe
in religion, we don't believe in so many stuff and things yet we
always mouth the words “Universal Love” and “Community in
Diversity.” Sad. But there is always a way. There is hope. We know
it, we just have to see faces and hear voices beyond the four walls
of our shell.
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