The United States has been in a dark era of deadly gun violence for some time now and as a result the present is like the failed dark past. The latest example is the mass killings at a high school in Parkland, Florida just recently. Innocent young students whose life was taken prematurely because we have a political system controlled by special interest groups who care little about life and a great deal about money. And sadly, there are perceptions by certain voters who claim that guns don't kill people, people do. That is the dogma the NRA, the gun lobby and many elected officials have been selling for years.
Florida is no stranger to mass murder and the killing of over 40 people at a night club in Orlando not long ago was tragic. Florida's republican governor Rick Scott and republican U.S. Senator Marco Rubio were elected more than once by the people of Florida and have a A+ rating from the NRA which is no secret. The NRA was also a big contributor to Trump's 2016 campaign and the people of Florida carried the state for him in the Presidential election of 2016. Yesterday's internet was loaded with stories how the people of Florida are now demanding those three take up the gun control issue or be voted out.
President Kennedy said it was against the laws of nature for parents to bury their children and children were the first on his mind concerning going to war because they had no say in the matter. That is why he did not rush America into war during the Cuban Missile crisis of 1962. He was a President that had a respect for life and did not cater to special interest. He came from a wealthy family but was a people's President. But unlike that healthy past, today it is division, blame, personal attacks, fake news, a lack of compassion and a disrespectful attitude to American institutions and failed leadership on every front.
The number of people killed in the mass shootings in Las Vegas last year was a domestic record. The families never forgot but our political system did. And the political system's failure to deal with that realty repeated itself in Florida this past week. Business who give campaign contributions to elected officials that oppose gun control should stand up and be counted and tell them no more contributions until they take up the issue and pass legislation to deal with the problem.
The present killings are a big time failure to understand the past and make the necessary changes for a better future for our children and our people. We can not afford to take a stand only when it hits close to home. Life for all should be protected and foremost in our work here on earth. Its time for the failed rhetoric to end and break up the NRA and the gun lobby's political obstruction and interference on the issue.
This commentary written by Joe Lorio
