Terrorism happens daily in Syria, Iraq, Palestine, Lebanon, Yemen, Libya, Somalia, Nigeria Pakistan and Afghanistan. Western media including Japan, footnotes the ongoing terror attacks across the Middle East and Africa without emphasizing with the victims. Their names and faces are rarely mentioned are brought to the world's attention. Just a few days ago, 12 Yezidi women were burned alive by ISIS militants in Iraq for refusing to be with ISIS fighters. Sadly many Iraqi, Syrians, Palestinians and Yemenis have been forever traumatised by constant drone attacks and bombings carried by Saudi led coalition in Yemen, Israeli army in occupied Palestine, the ISIS-Al Nusra Front in Syria, Boko Haram and its takfiri cousins in Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad and ISIS/Al Qaeda takfiris in Libya. Once you lived through war and numbing terrorist attacks especially if it occurs every day (the likes that many people can not imagine) it begins to affect your subconscious and health. People in Syria, Libya and Nigeria are suffering from PTSD, anxiety and sociological issues from witnessing and hearing of terror attacks. Many children are being forced to become adults before their time, miss out on school and witness horrors that no child in the world should witness. Saudi/NATO indiscriminate bombings equally harm more civilians far more than soldiers. Even Russian and Syrian bombings of ISIS targets are ricocheting toward civilians have been condemned by Syrians. The wars occurring in Syria, Yemen, Libya and Palestine and Iraq are boomeranging back to many Western countries. The Belgian Airport, Paris attacks and now Orlando shootings are consequences of foreign policy and actions despite ceasefires that leads to the continuation of wars (through colour revolutions and forcibly changing governments via proxy rebel groups), twisting the UN's arm on Yemen bombing or crushing sanctions that punish people rather than politicians. In recent days, Syrian government has managed to push ISIS back. The media and pundits still can not see the connection between foreign policy, indifference to suffering abroad and terrorism in France and U.S. As the old saying goes "the chickens are coming home to roost." For the gun ho people who say, "bomb the Middle East" or "bomb them all" after every terrorist attack, remember most of the people on the receiving of drone attacks and coalition bombings are civilians (especially women, children and teens) and many times the so called smart military weapons from the U.S./UK/Israel miss their intended targets.
Once again, a mass shooting has occurred in the United States with 49 innocent people gone from the world. For the United States, the question of the 2nd Amendment (many American tend to interpret this amendment literally) and Gun rights has come to the forefront again. For the fifteenth time, yes it's the 15th time that President Obama has had to address the U.S. over a mass shooting in his 8 years in office. The shooting now termed a terrorist attack after the president's address to the nation in which he used the term to describe the massacre, occurred at the up scale gay nightclub Pulse in Orlando, Florida on Sunday, June 12th. Pulse was supposed to be a safe haven for its visitors and reoccurring guests facing problems and refuge from the chaos in society.
Orlando shooting witness
Carlos Rosario, witness re accounts Orlando MSNBC
Motivations aren't always religious
Many of the victims were between the ages of 20-50 years old, majority of whom were also Latino. There is a large Puerto Rican American population in Orlando as well as a large Caribbean American and expat Latin American communities in Orlando and other parts of Florida ie Miami. Florida is one of the closest states to Caribbean and South America. It is not known if any expats or international visitors were caught in the attack. The sad irony, the attack comes on the heels of the death of Muhammad Ali and the death of Christian Grimmie occurred in Orlando. It also happens during the newly formed LGBT month in the U.S. and also a few weeks before Pride parades take place in the state and world. The gunman Omar Mateen who was an American born in New York to Afghan parents, was more motivated by a hatred of gay people than just another ISIS follower. Religion wasn't a large factor in the attack either. It didn't stop Republican nominee Donald Trump from reiterating his claim to fame that there needs to be a ban of Muslims to the U.S. Some think that the attack will help Trump triumph in the election. A third party candidate that is challenging Trump and Clinton as a write in candidate has pleaded not to "politicise the Orlando shooting." It took the police three hours to halt the attack. With the gunman dead, the police are slowly piecing together Omar's motivation. It is worth noting that the FBI had monitored Omar for the slightest suspicious behaviour but did little. The same can be said of French and Belgian intelligence who also monitored local citizens who became terrorists during the Belgian airport and Paris attacks. Not only did the intelligence was not thorough on its observations on Omar but the fact that he managed to buy military style weapons and bulletproof vest didn't raise the gun shop owner or local authorities' eyebrows. There are many Americans who don't like gay people or are angered by the Supreme Court's approval of gay marriage being legal across the country. It's still a decision that stuns secular Americans as well. They feel that the gay lifestyle and homosexuality are being shovelled down their throats on a daily basis. By watching American TV it would not seem like an exaggeration. Yet, they don't commit mass shootings or terror attacks to express their anger most of the time. We are talking about secular and non religious people.An investigative documentary on American Gun culture from TV 9 News India (rare ) in Telugu
Manliness and Guns
As mentioned many times, American society has a serious problem with gun fascination and promoting manliness through gun use. Think of the image of the cowboy, shoot em up protagonist in various action video games or the self proclaimed hero in every horror movie. Most Americans (we are talking about the ordinary people not just the politicians) do not find anything wrong with the NRA and gun lobby being able to pull Congress' arm on reconsidering and possibly changing the 2nd amendment. Even debating tougher gun control sends gun advocates and the gun safety into defensive rebuttals about freedom and the right of self defence. The argument that everyone needs a gun and more guns would stop mass shootings and local terror attacks only adds to violence. When mass shootings happened in Scotland in 1996 and a shooting attack on tourists in Australia, both countries reformed their gun laws to make it impossible for gun violence on the magnitude of both massacres to reoccur again. It's almost impossible for guns to be easily access by any citizens today.Once upon a time in Orlando
When anyone thinks of Orlando, the first thing that comes to mind is Disneyland and happiness. The city of Orlando is home to some of the largest theme parks and amusement parks other than Disneyland that includes Universal Studios, Wet N Wild, Gator World, Sea World and other local attractions. It is a family friendly city and is a suburban tourist destination. Millions of American and foreign visitors come to the city weekly to annually. This is not to say that Orlando and other cities of Florida do not have crimes or shootings. Crimes occur in the shadows and can be seen on local news channels. But Orlando would be the last place will anyone would think a gunman disrupt Latin night at a local club. The shock of the attack is still being felt across the United States. The Orlando attack now tops any previous mass shooting with the exception of the Sandy Hook Massacre and the more recent Charleston Church attack.
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| Even Disney World can't shield adults and children from the pain of the world. |
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