Today's MOZEN: The Violence Equation

Words and photo by F LoBuono

I am no mathematician. In fact, I generally suck at math. Still, I can deal with easy equations, like this one:

ANGRY PEOPLE + MENTAL ILLNESS + OBSESSION WITH/EASY ACCESS TO GUNS = VIOLENT SOCIETY

You don't have to win the Nobel Prize in mathematics to figure it out. The combination of the factors making up our equation is enough to make us sick - literally.

Let's analyse them one at a time.

Angry People. Folks today are just plain pissed off. At least most of them seem to be. This anger has caused our society to become more mean spirited. The so-called Law of the Jungle, i.e. Survival of the Fittest, prevails. Evidence of this is everywhere. The most recent of which is the rising (and continuing) popularity of Donald Trump. Despite his bombastic and callous comments made about woman and immigrants, millions of people still enthusiastically support him in his bid for the GOP Presidential nomination. Trump is the consummate Ugly American and a bombastic, stereotypical New Yorker who, in previous times, people would have loved to hate. Now, he leads the GOP polls by a wide margin. Why? Because much like Fox News he feeds the growing fear that Americans have; fear of foreigners, of homosexuals, of races other than their own, of the government, even of too much freedom. Instead of a braggart like Trump, we need a visionary like FDR who felt our pain, related to it, and did something positive about it. Who can forget, We have nothing to fear, but fear itself! Oh, Franklin, where for art thou now?

Mental Illness. More people usually means more mental illness, and for a number of reasons. By shear volume, the ever increasing amount of people means that we are exposed to more individuals with some type of mental disorder. Plus, the very fact that there ARE so many people today increases the type and frequency of mental illness. There are just too many of us competing for the same limited resources, like good jobs. This creates tremendous stress on the human psyche. Combine these factors with a society that has become increasingly less willing to deal with mental illness and you are asking for trouble. Every day we see more and more people on the streets who simply shouldn't be. Why? Because as a society we just don't want to deal with it. We would rather spend our resources on just about anything except improving our mental health system. Again, this is tied to how we want our culture to be perceived. Right now, it's keep up or be left behind (i.e. Donald Trump). If we want a so-called kinder and gentler society where those with mental illness are treated rather than stigmatized, we have to build it. Right now, that is not even on the radar and we are suffering the consequences of it. Virtually every mass murderer, from Aurora, Colorado to Charleston, South Carolina to Roanoke, Virginia suffered from some severe form of mental illness.

Obsession with/Easy Access to Guns. As a culture, Americans are OBSESSED with guns. Our very Constitution GUARANTEES (the Second Amendment) our right to posses them. Even though the Second Amendment is subject of some interpretation, anyone who is even perceived of interfering with that right is dealt with quickly and severely. The National Rifle Association (NRA) is arguably the most powerful special interest/lobbying organization in the Country. Because it is supported by so many people with so much money its influence on American government and, therefore, culture cannot be over-emphasized. No one organization could exert that much control over an entire society unless it was supported by an overwhelming amount of people. The NRA is. It is so powerful, in fact, that it can effectively squash any legislation it deems a threat to the so-called right to bear arms. Therefore, any attempt to introduce even reasonable gun control reform is met with total, and effective, opposition. Despite the continuing rise in gun related deaths, this Country has still failed to pass ANY effective national gun control legislation, including universal background checks. None. So, in too many places, guns are simply too easy to obtain, especially by people who simply should not have them!

We also, as a culture, seem to be infatuated with violence - in all its forms. Violent films, TV programs and video games are pervasive. Every conflict seems to be settled at the end of a gun. Even great, versatile actors like Denzel Washington and Liam Neeson take on ultra violent film roles. Both have starred in more than one film that calls for their characters to solve problems with extreme violence. So-called experts debate whether certain video games influence children towards violence. Really? It would seem at least reasonable and logical that they do. Children general do as they see. Be that as it may, we are certainly barraged with terrifying images on an almost constant basis. It seems clear that the more powerful we perceive ourselves, the less we have to fear.

And, our lust for power is not restricted to the individual. We want our military to be the biggest and baddest on the planet. We spend three times more on our military than our nearest competitor (China) and ten times more than our most bitter rival (Russia).  We could use some of that money to fund better schools or improve our mental health system. But, that would require a shift in our mindset - away from fear and towards understanding and compassion. However, to accomplish that we must come to terms with our fears and our obsession with guns and violence.

If we don't we are condemned to repeat the most recent crime, the heinous murder of a news crew in Roanoke, Va, over and over again. Two young lives where snuffed out by a sick, angry man with a gun. By his own admission, a "walking time bomb", the perpetrator was able to LEGALLY obtain the hand gun he used to commit the murders. He became the living embodiment of The Violence Equation - an angry man with a gun - a lethal combination, indeed. We will never be able to prevent ALL sick people from committing horrible acts. Knowing human nature, that is not possible. However, having an awareness of what may be causing the problem, we have a chance to rectify it. As I say, over and over again, we only lack to will to do it.