Author: Americans “Asking for Prayer” Over Colorado Shooter is Sad, Hypocritical and Pathetic
by Dr. Boyce Watkins, KultureKritic.com
Rochelle Riley from the Detroit Free Press wrote an article in which she says that Americans should stop whining about every mass shooting that occurs, especially since we don’t have the collective courage to modify existing gun laws. Riley says that every time a shooting like this happens, American huddle around and cry, ask for prayer and express sadness, but then go right back to the same activities that led to death in the first place.
Quit crying. Stop asking for prayer. We don’t really care. I don’t have to recount the times in our American past that some nut job with a gun has shot dozens of people. But what I can’t figure out is why we watch it, do nothing about it and then cry when it happens again?
Riley then goes on to say that she doesn’t understand why the loss of human life is not nearly as important to people as a “bastardized interpretation of the Second Amendment,” which allows for assault weapons to be sold. The kinds of weapons used by the Colorado Shooter, James Holmes, were not weapons that would be used in hunting. In many cases, they are only used to murder other human beings.
The debate isn’t about the right to bear arms. That right is absolute and constitutional. The debate is about what “arms” means. There is no reason on Earth or in Colorado for anyone not serving in Iraq or Afghanistan to carry a gun that shoots 30 rounds quickly and repeatedly. If you can’t hunt better than that, you need to go play table tennis, d**n it!
Riley notes that Holmes used an AR15 assault rifle, where he hit 70 people. Twelve of those people died. AR-15, AK-47s and other weapons are designed primarily for war, not for public use. She says that we’ve taken the right to assault other human beings to the highest levels and have given licenses for death via the distribution of certain kinds of weapons.
And in our culture, we have legitimized the right to assault. So when it happens, we are hypocrites to scream and cry and ask why. Because gun rights trump lives.
The only background check question that matters is: Have you ever shot 60 people at one time? Former mass murderers need not apply. But future ones? All you need is money and a ride to a gun fair or any big-city street corner.
Riley says that both President Obama and Mitt Romney are guilty of expressing sadness over the incident but offering no solutions. She says that no one cares if we are sorry, since we refuse to do anything about it.
As I watched the two presidential candidates dance around the real issue like a Texas two-step — expressing their sorrow, but offering no solutions — I am very resolute when I say to both: Quit it. Who cares whether you’re sorry?
We don’t really care about the problem and don’t plan to do anything to stop the next one.
If we cared, we would do something about the weapons of mass destruction for which there is no excuse. Not the .22 that a young mother might keep by her bed or the .38 that a cop carries off-duty, but assault rifles whose sole reason for being is to kill people quickly.
I have three words for Riley’s article: I-Love-it. Riley provides the kind of tough love that all of America needs to help us understand that it is our own action, or lack thereof, that causes us to get into the same situations over and over again. Riley’s article reminds me of a time when a friend called to tell me that his cousin had been killed by a fellow drug dealer.
“How could this happen? I just asked the Lord why he would take my cousin’s life while he was so young.” He said.
“Because he was a drug dealer, and drug dealers either die or go to prison,” I said. ”The Lord didn’t just randomly decide to pick on him and take is life. His life was taken by the other drug dealer and by his own inability to make good decisions. I hope he understood that fact.”
There’s nothing like a big dose of reality to make you the wet blanket at the party. People seem to only enjoy listening to people who tell them what they want to hear.
In the case of the Colorado shooting, we want to hear that this was a senseless tragedy, that we share the pain of those in Colorado and that this is a time for prayer and reflection. All of that might be true. But if we were to be honest with ourselves, we’d realize that this was a senseless tragedy that could have been easily avoided, that we could have saved all those lives if we’d somehow stopped a lunatic from buying enough deadly weapons to kill everyone on his block and that we should honestly reflect on how stupid the gun laws are in this country.
You don’t put your head inside the mouth of a shark and then act surprised when you end up headless. The fact is that this tragedy was a long time coming, and there are more coming right behind it. So, someone who is alive right now will be dead within the next few years because we are too lazy, weak and myopic to change our gun laws. Now let’s go reflect on that.
Dr. Boyce Watkins is the founder of YourBlackWorld.com. To have Dr. Boyce commentary delivered to your email, please click here.
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I could not agree more with this article. I feel sad for the senseless murders and wounding of those in Aurora. It is time for this country’s leadership and the NRA to constructively do something to prevent this from happening in the future.
In the face of tragedy, Americans always pray and “Come together” as was the case in the events of September 11, 2011. However when that wave of emotion subsides, Americans simply return to their same old race-hating agenda.
SHE’S RIGHT
Ms Riley hits the nail squarely on its head. We allow virtually anyone to buy guns that were made to kill the maximum numbers of people as quickly as possible. Mass murder by gun has happened so many times in America that each new instance brings retelling of the previous five; and, they are occurring more frequently. Seems like about every 3,4 years some nut kills and wounds at least 10 people, and that doesn’t include the hundreds of victims of gun violence that happen every day. The NRA is a domestic terrorism support group that guarantees that the worst elements within our society have easy access to affordable weapons of mass destruction. Parents Against Gun Violence is a grass roots organization made of parents of children injured or threatened by guns. Find a chapter near you.
i agree , at the same time i dont care about it either . it’s never a problem unless someone of color is the shooter anyway . however , i do care that many military tanks and ammo has been and are continuing to be sold to the public and to those in other countries . it is us , the people of color who are their pawns , victims , targets and fall guys when there is a black on black shooting for example for which false and deceptive pictures of a race and it’s communities are being placed into negative light of which i would also add ,that they refuse to sell us legal items so how is it possible for illegal things such as high powered guns and ammo easy for our purchase . especially when the homes we own for safe keepings are being fraudulently stolen from us by banks and city officials . why should we care that the children they have lied are p****d after learning the truth of their lies and are coming for them
Well said. But the real issue is fear. Tribeless society is a society of lone wolves- predators. Private property is law of predators. Native Americans and all peoples lived in tribes. Little violence. No jails and certainly no weapons of mass assault. Peaople are scared of government tyranny in this tribeless world. They do not want to be defenseless against a tyrranical government. So you have to return to a less fearful and more peaceful society – tribe. You must get rid of predatory societies before predators cease to kill us at will. Please think on this before you respond.
Nonsense, fear has nothing to do with it. It’s all about selling guns for a profit. The old adage is true: If you want to know the real culprits for evil intent follow the money trail…e.g., NRA (National Rifle Association, gun lobbyist, and others who benefit form the vague interpretation of the constitution. 244 plus people can be killed in six months in Chicago, and nothing is said. One incident is a Colorado community and it gains international attention. Mr. Riley is right, we should all stop the hypocritical hype, and look for real solutions,
Common sense. It takes a hand to pull a trigger. Your argument says take off hands so they don’t shoot any one. All actions start in the mind or brain Fertilizer kills
Too. Ask folks in oklahoma city. We are a violent society on the throes of suffering from the violence we sowed end now sanction. We kill criminals. We kill those who disagree with us.
Food for thought.
Ms. Riley makes sense to me.
I don’t think this shooting had anything to do with race.
As for gun rights, had an NRA carrying member or off duty cop been in the audience this idiot shooter might have been shot dead & maybe less people would have been killed or injured.
When was the last time a crazy shooter was discovered to be an NRA member? Don’t believe everything the fat lady from Homeland Security says. I think time will show this kid was probably raised in a liberal household with no guns. So what happened to him? He went nuts! My ancestors were small business people & always had guns just in case they needed protection in a major city with slow police response time & they never shot anyone.
Incidentally, the most recent federal stats show that crime is down drastically & shootings in particular. It seems the cops just had a shooting in Anaheim & it remains to be seen what that’s all about & obviously local, vocal folk, are p****d!
By the way I think you will discover that this kids tribal roots date way back a couple thousand years. So good luck with the tribal argument.
I don’t think this shooting had anything to do with race.
As for gun rights, had an NRA carrying member or off duty cop been in the audience this idiot shooter might have been shot dead & maybe less people would have been killed or injured.
When was the last time a crazy shooter was discovered to be an NRA member? Don’t believe everything the fat lady from Homeland Security says. I think time will show this kid was probably raised in a liberal household with no guns. So what happened to him? He went nuts! My ancestors were small business people & always had guns just in case they needed protection in a major city with slow police response time & they never shot anyone.
Incidentally, the most recent federal stats show that crime is down drastically & shootings in particular. It seems the cops just had a shooting in Anaheim & it remains to be seen what that’s all about & obviously local, vocal folk, are p****d!
By the way I think you will discover that this kids tribal roots date way back a couple thousand years. So good luck with the tribal argument.
No not that long. And time is no issue when deciding to honor the mother who birthed you.Tribe. or those who killed your mother. No brained.
No not that long. And time is no issue when deciding to honor the mother who birthed you.Tribe. or those who killed your mother. No brainer.
I concur with this entire article. Every word. Every fact. And all of America needs to hear it. And I do get tired of people blaming God for everything bad that happens, but He’s the first person y’all run to asking people to pray and have a “religious moment”. Obviously, something in you is confident that God hears your prayer and is going to help you. So why not do that full-time? Not just when tragedy strikes. Depend on God and trust Him in the good and the bad. Understand God and get to know Him. He’s a really cool cat lol.
P.S. God is NOT a puppeteer and doesn’t control our every move. He gives us the freedom to make our own decisions, so when people do stupid [bleepity bleep] and get themselves buried under ugly circumstances like being a drug dealer who’s been killed, you need to wake up. When you continue to lead a life of destruction, you mess yourself up BY YOURSELF.
Chicago has a COMPLETE WEAPONS BAN on hand guns and assault rifles. Why isn’t disarming the public working for them? The Asian guy that killed 33 people at V-Tech DID NOT have an assault rifle he had two 9mm HAND GUNS. Again he killed 33 people. So I’m assuming the only people that should have guns are the police and the criminals becuase illegal or not criminals will always have guns. And to this day I don’t know of any murders that were about to happen were the police prevented it. Police just clean up the scene and do an investigation. If the there were armed guards at the theater how many shots do you think he would’ve gotten off?
Truer words were never spoken !
What happened to my post?
I made a similar comment but they did not post it.
The focus on gun laws is not the problem. The focus on the mental illnesses of the ‘American’ populous is! Everything which drives this nation is frivolous, fictitious, filled with lies and deceit, criminal, and insane. The people will continue to do the same things, and make the same prayers to an ancient fictitious being without ever recognizing that the main problem with everyone is the levels of human insanity we are all living with.
This country was built by some very insane traitors to the British government. The insane British political/crown sent them here to take the land from the inhabitants and strip whatever resources available. They murdered and abused the indigenous people, and shipped Africans here in chains for slave labor! All the while they touted religious “God” beliefs created by insane and ancient individuals! Everyone who follows such ancient superstitious beliefs in God and Jesus or whatever should consider themselves mentally ill, but they will not recognize their own dementia even when all the signs that point to it are all around! So in this very damaged social-structure where everything is upside down and wrong, the people are beginning to go completely ballistic! If their dementia drives them to attack others they can find all kinds of creative ways to do it in this highly advanced scientific/technology driven world! So the topic of guns is the wrong topic. Overwhelming US lunacy is!
I really don’t understand the assault on Jesus and religion. Religion is like a gun. It has to be handled by a person. It is what predators in the pulpit do with the religion or gun. blaming religion is like blaming a gun.
Hmmm, you made a few points Wizard G however, your unbelief in G-d is a mental illness in itself so please be careful of where you point the finger because there are three pointing right back at you.
There are many functioning Americans that have mental illnesses but you give the impression that everything is grim and I disagree. Despite everything that’s going on good still outweighs evil.
I think the vast majority of people who don’t believe in G-d are simply lazy. I say lazy because their research begins and ends with Christianity. If you are truly seeking G-d’s existence then you wouldn’t stop there….you would also make a sincere effort to make your intentions and study other faiths…again if that’s what your truly seeking.
As far as this damaged social structure, we should blame no one but own selves. G-d has blessed us with the ability to use our brain to solve problems yet we refuse to look beyond greed and hate to change anything. We can put a man on the moon but we can’t do something as simple as treat one another as we would like to be treated. G-d created us all of different cultures and nationalities so that we would grow to love and respect each other’s differences. Somehow many men disregarded that memo.
Beautiful you are Nilla.
Sorry, I don’t agree with her article at all. The piece was pretentious and not even set in reality.
So far only one person has mentioned why the 2nd Amendment was issued in the first place and no one seems to want to address it. Our 2nd Amendment right was inacted to make sure we were never victims of a tyrannical government again. It had nothing to do with hunting! As long as we the people are armed the powers that be will have a harder time trampling over our freedoms. And the only way that can be accomplished is to keep it legal for the average citizen to obtain any weapons that the government has at it’s disposal. Yes that means that we will continue to have wackos that will murder others for some sick reason, but I am willing to take that chance in order to live in a country where the government is held in check.
If I were a politician (yuck, phew
… anyway… If I were a politician, here’s what I’d campaign on:
Don’t ban guns; ban the sales of ammunition. ………….
–May the families and friends of those directly affected by Aurora be supported by all of us with compassion, sensitivity and sanity. We may comment back and forth in this way, but for them, this is far more than a public discussion; it’s irreparably, tragically personal. May none of us in this discussion ever become a perpetrator or a victim of anything such as Aurora or other acts of madness or malice. Promote openness about brain illness and seeking help. Mental/physical illness is the same: a condition that requires help, treatment–and without shame. Arm your minds with knowledge, and that lessens the need for arming with weapons. — Blessings and Best Wishes and Respect to All.
The gun laws are not the problem. These type of individuals would have made a gun if one wasn’t available. The boy made bombs and booby traps and they don’t sell those in a store. This article is off the mark. We need to be praying everyday… As an American I took a pledge…”One nation under God…” Why you think the founders put that in there… so pray. It’s seems the further we get away from the founders principles the more craziness happens… We allowed prayer to leave schools… look at the situation now. We replace it with police and metal detectors. Lady you need to rethink this…. seriously.
Can we please stop throwing the race card at everything. This annoys me. Everything is not Black and White. Has anyone ever heard of the saying your folks taught you when coming up that “Two Wrongs doesn’t make a right?” Right, so being a reverse racists or using the race card, does not help anything, nor does it add to any facts. The sooner we stop using hate rhetoric ourselves, the sooner we can find a solution to the wrong people getting weapons.
I will soon own a Gun, but it will be for my protection of my home due to all of the violent home invasions. However, I am do not have mental issues and nor do I have a criminal background so it is called an excercise of common sense and how to properly think about what life truly means without violence exceppt but to warn someone to stay away.
I agree with the author of this article who heartedly…everybody urges prayer AFTER a tragedy such as this but then go right back to “business as usual” when the storm calms. Giving the devil the opportunity to recharge. Gun laws and a “right to bare arms” need to be eradicated, especially in situations such as this. The law needs to be dealt with to STOP this kind of heartless violence.
All yall sound like a bunch of dumb negro’s . Changing the laws isn’t going to stop nobody from getting killed . He had bombs at his house . Meaning if you take guns away . People like him will use bombs to kill people . Y’all people need to wake up . Once they ban guns people will smuggle them into America like they tons of drugs that get in here . Or they millions of illegal Mexican that come over here . PEOPLE KILL PEOPLE NOT GUNS
Have you ever seen a ‘Gun’ walking down the street? Did the ‘gun’ pull it’s trigger and kill a person? Get Over It “Dee”!
The NRA a***s have been saying that for 50 years. Did you ever wonder do gun owners take their guns with them to church? How about to work? If all of the guns you own are at home, how are you portecting yourself. I’m sure some of the people that’ve been killed by the “Nuts” had guns. (Just saying.)
I LOVE THIS TOO but let’s not stop at guns…because we need to stop crying about drunk drivers killing our babies….
we need to stop crying about the teenager texting….
we need to stop crying about the shootings in neighborhoods across America!
STOP CRYING AMERICA AND DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT!!
i’m glad my black azz wasn’t in that thearter . when whites kill he’s mental when blacks kill its call thugs killing thugs sent to prison for life white boys goes to a mental hospital.where is the outcry for all the killings in chicago where are the special reports breaking news
Nothing’s going to be done about that because WE allow it. As long as black folk allow white America to get away with it, they will continue to do so.
THAT IS 2010% RIGHT!!!
Amen and thank you for sharing…
I am not an atheist, and I am not religious. I guess that makes me an agnostic. So I don’t have the luxury of blaming God or the lack thereof when something goes wrong. I do feel that we are a very sick nation in a very sick world. Until we face that fact, we will continue to bump heads with disaster.
I agree with Ms Riley 1000% The fact the folks won’t stand up to the NRA but than be-cries these killing are in-deed Hypocritical and Pathetic.
But I would go even further, I bet a number of those doing the praying and whining are the same ones contributing to the defense of the killer of Trayvon Martin
This also is Hypocritical and Pathetic
Hypocritical,that,s what most people are.The masses of citizens run to prayer,get on their pray rugs when a shooting acures.In reality no one cares what happens to people other than familyDo not put much sadness into what appears on the t v news,you just be yourselfs>If you have faith in good things good,you will be saved.
Excellent article, Ms. Riley. Thunderous applause for such a fantastic article highlighting various hypocrisies found in our society.
Straight legal injected for those purchasing guns (used only for war) and not mentioned at the time of purchwith gun dealer. Put fear into the fearless and I guarantee there would be and will be less senseless murders. I for one am totally against death penalty but for these senseless mass murderers – there would be no grace or mercy. I don’t care if it is a judge, celebrity, preacher’s child, or WHOEVER…straight legal injected within 30 days of the act. The only thing tax payers give to these murderers would be a reqested last meal, 1/2 day visitation with family members – that’s it. You want to end murdering here in America get stupid back with those who want to be STUPID and want national TV attention. We will give them TV national attention…laying on that gerney – Ooh it will end then! Who wants to go out of here like that? I mean it sounds mean but what is it when these mass murderers ruin other families across this nation? Get my drift????
@Nilla – Can you educate me to why if you are referring to God then why ‘is His name typed by you as G-D? I t don’t understand and I am not being smart! I just maybe have missed out on something in the new millenium to why if someone talks as if they are a believer in God then why not TYPE out his name versus the use of the letter “O” in His Divine name as a
(-)? jus askin!
THOMASISTHE1: But the NRA are the ones that are perpetuating the “right to bear arms” issues and the ones that put on most of the gun shows to sell guns.
MUFFY: Have you taken your medcation today? Whew!
Another out of touch, out in left field individual.
MUFFY: Have you realized that you may be the only one that disagrees with this article, in the comment section. that ought to tell you something might wrong. NO MEDICATION, OR TOO MANY DRUGS!