Episode 16 (I Don't Have The Answer)
If you follow me on social media you might have noticed I haven’t really said or reposted anything about the post recent school shooting. I don’t… I’m not sure what to say. It’s not even the most recent mass shooting any more.
So far in 2018 there have been 102 mass shootings in the United States as of this recording on May 20th 2018 if the definition is a single incident where 4+ people are injured or killed by a shooter. If the definition is that the shooter has to kill 3+ there have been 13. I don’t really feel like splitting hairs on the definition. I’m currently living in Baltimore where so far this year 106 people have been murdered 94 of those people were shot. I also lived in London and so far in 2018 there have been 63 homicides only 9 of which involved a shooting. The UK’s gun laws are pretty stringent and assume that you don’t need one putting the onus of proof on the party attempting to get a license—very much the opposite of the US just like our justice system supposedly assumes innocence until proven guilty and their assumes guilt until the defense can prove innocence. I say supposedly because we get that wrong a lot especially when we try people with black and brown skin. Anyway, this 63 homicides is actually a rise in crime for the British city, even without the terror attacks.
You may be thinking that there is a world of difference between Baltimore and London and it is not just the accents. You wouldn’t be wrong but you wouldn’t be right. The racism, sexism, classism is still there they just have nationalized health care and tighter gun laws. Sure, I’d go back to London with its 17% sales tax and a public transit system that shuts down everything but a literal night bus. I’d go back to New York where I heard gun shots at night and even the rats might sexually assault you. I’d go to a hundred other city’s and still not fault Baltimore. We all have our shit, each and every one of the places I have lived has been deeply flawed and I could enumerate them for you but I have a bigger point here.
This is America where even our presidents have been gun shot victims. That hasn’t been enough. And I… I don’t have the answer.
References:
Hinahosa, Maria and Julio Ricardo Varela. “#110: LIVE from Chicago, Suave’s Story.” In the Thick. Futuro Media Group. 7 May, 2018.:http://www.inthethick.org/episodes/
Berkowitz, Bonnie, Denise Lu, and Chris Alcantara. “The terrible numbers that row with each mass shooting.” The Washington Post. 18 May, 2018. :https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2018/national/mass-shootings-in-america/?utm_term=.3bf146da955e
Casciani, Dominic. “Gun control and ownership laws in the UK.” BBC. 2 Nov., 2018: http://www.bbc.com/news/10220974
Snead, Florence. “London murders: a list of the victims killed in the capital so far in 2018.” iNews. 18 May, 2018. :https://inews.co.uk/news/uk/london-murders-a-list-of-the-victims-killed-in-the-capital-so-far-this-year/
Bond, David. “Sharp jump in homicides and violent crime in London.” Financial Times. 26 April, 2018. :https://www.ft.com/content/4df0da0a-4940-11e8-8ae9-4b5ddcca99b3
Robinson, Melia, Skye Gould, and Samantha Lee. “There have been 101 mass shootings in the US so far in 2018—here’s the full list.” Business Insider. 18 May, 2018. :http://www.businessinsider.com/how-many-mass-shootings-in-america-this-year-2018-2
Childish Gambino and Hiro Murai. “This is America.” VEVO. 2018. :https://www.vevo.com/watch/childish-gambino/this-is-america-(official-video)/USRV81800280
Ballentine, Lee. “How many US presidents have been shot?” Quora. 26 Nov., 2017. :https://www.quora.com/How-many-US-presidents-have-been-shot