Al-Jazeera, like RT, do some great half-hour programmes dedicated to one subject, today on Portal (Al-Jazeera) it was US Guns. People killed by guns in America, the figures are staggering, 20,000 last year alone. Automatic Assault Rifles accounted for one-quarter of that number. More guns than people now in America, and it is growing daily.
From the 1950s and 1960 – black people came onto the streets in great numbers protesting the inequality between Black and White Americas. We all saw it on our televisions, even as recently as Black Lives Matter. Well guess what, the largest number of Americans now buying guns are Black, what does that tell you.
An American (I believe he was a Senator) came on television and told the American people
“The only way to stop a bad guy with a gun, is a good guy with a gun”
Lock them all up in prison, then the guns will be off the street. Does that make sense to anyone?
The big change and proliferation of guns on the streets of America came at a time when the laws were relaxed and guns moved from Sport to Protection in the home. It sold a lot of guns, and maybe that was why it was introduced – the gun lobby is strong in America, guns are big business.
There are organisations like BRAG and Guns Down Life Up, that are trying to change the minds of young black men (mainly men) away from carrying guns. But to my mind, this is a band-aid on a gaping wound.
Why are young black Americans joining gangs, and carrying guns, well go back to the 1950s and 1960 when we had peaceful protest by black people, the writing was on the wall in big bold letters, but the powers choose to ignore the warning signs. Sow a wind, reap a whirlwind.
The generation that went before me had 100 platitudes and biblical sayings for every occasion. One was
“The devil finds work for idol hands”
Is this not the crux or the matter? I’m sure most Black American families want what every other family wants a good education and good prospects for a better life. Why not give them that opportunity, you could start by making college free to all, then poverty would not be a barrier to getting on in life. Some may not be able to take that road out of poverty, so others must be found, surely genuine job programmes (give the local councils more money to improve the local area, and local amenities, but make the jobs real jobs) that, I’m sure will be much cheaper than locking men up in prison, which can so easily become the university of crime and leaving victims no better off. (and the cost of policing and the justice system that proceeds it). Then maybe I’m just a dreamer.
Well, must go and rescue my clothes from the dryer, then maybe think about a wee run down to Anstruther, haven’t been there for a while.
Keep safe.
The Grand Tour: Fife and Beyond 