Recently with the Parkland School shooting a new wave of outrage has swept the United States. Students from all over the country have rallied in Washington to push for more gun control laws after this horrible tragedy... I like most dual citizens or Americans living abroad am hearing about this all the time. The minute I open my mouth and speak with my native American accent at a pub or social gathering people are immediately bringing up the issue of the United States and gun control. I find the outrage over the shooting and the fear understandable. The loss of human life is a horrible thing, especially our young. But I'm also left scratching my head at what's going on and feeling a little confused and yet not so surprised.
Whether you are left or right of the aisle if asked the question whether or not you value all human life as equal what would you say? Most of us who are not extremist would immediately say yes. All human life is equal and holds the same value. Sadly though the recent outrage over the horrible tragedy that struck in Florida shows that clearly it is not seen that way in the hearts and minds of Americas youth and those that are leading this rally in Washington.
In 2011 I watched in horror as the full scale of destruction and loss of life began to unfold with the United States drone strikes in Yemen. At the moment over 5,000 children have died in Yemen and another 400,000 thousand are starving. This is due to a humanitarian crisis created and supported by the US by continuing our air support of the Saudi war in that country. A war that has pushed 11 million humans to the point of starvation and death and the body count grows larger by the day.
It is an unnecessary war and a quick look at the politics will show you this. We openly admit that Saudi Arabia is the biggest exporter of terrorism in the Middle East, and yet happily conduct commerce and provide military aid to a country that's creating the largest humanitarian crisis in modern history.
But my question is... with all of the innocent civilians killed in our "precision" drone strikes, and current military intervention.... where's the out cry? We heard very little. No protest blocking commerce, not emotive speeches from well scripted drama students incensed and outrage over the loss of innocent life. By comparison to the roar we are hearing after the Parkland shooting the noise over the innocent life lost in Yemen and Pakistan is hardly heard.
When Obama started dropping bombs that resulted in the deaths of thousands of innocent lives I had no expectations in regards to people acting with outrage. I knew by his second term that no one who identified themselves as a liberal would organize mass protest, make so much noise that the mainstream press would jump out its seat and take notice. No ANTIFA members would rally. The reality was made clear. Those who claim to be on the left do not view all life as equal.
I like many view what just happened as a horrible tragedy. I'm not going to voice a pro or anti gun view in this post. That's not the point of my write up. I'm not against these kids marching no matter what their political views are either. What I'm pointing out is that we have been selective in how we gauge human life. All human life. The gun in the hand of the madman is just as dangerous as the mad man with drones and a million men carrying guns and will kill far more. Why doesn't this bother us? Why can we pat ourselves on the back for having the first black president and be so blind to the deaths he caused while in office. Where was the march then? The impassioned speeches? The cries for real change?
Whether it's a mass shooting or a drone strike on civilians, it seems we are putting real human beings lives on a scale and measuring which is more important. This is the rub and what bugs me about the response to certain tragedies in the United States. It should be this robust every time those we empower kill indiscriminately. Calling it a battlefield statistic doesn't soften the blow. The men, women, and children commonly title as "civilians" didn't put their heads down to sleep knowing they would wake up as a "civilian causality" or a battlefield statistic. They were just as sure they were alive as you and I are.
In the wake of what's just happened we should all be upset and above all grief stricken. We should support those who want to rally together in a peaceful fashion and voice their fears and concerns. I'm not against that. I'm against the silence that was consent for the murder of thousands of children that otherwise receive very little notice. But I have no expectations of seeing signs with slogans or statements protesting the violence that killed them and will kill many more, at this rally in Washington D.C.
Thank you for reading guys. I don't often voice political views as I neither vote left or right of the aisle. I don't identify or play partisanship games. I pretty much dislike all government as it is. I don't engage in debate or echo chambers. It was just a post asking WTF and a rant of sorts.... Hopefully a reminder that it's not just white or black life that matters, not just American or European life, all human life on this planet matters. Hopefully the reminder has motivated you to look at it in that light.
I wish you all the best of luck with your posts and projects, and want to thank you again for reading. Many blessings.