(no subject)

[smokingboot]

Yesterday I bimbled, trying on pretty perfumes for the summer, flirting with gorgeous guys and making eyes at a beautiful genius. Butterfly woman, silly laughing girl, dancing in the sumshine.

Meanwhile, somewhere on the same planet:

http://www.counterpunch.org/kroth04182007.html

I thank illuminating_dragon with all my heart for this link.

Comments

[hybridartifacts.livejournal.com]

Well, we did have Hungerford and Dunblane-and other countries have had theirs as well-I seem to recall a few in Japan, and recently came across one in Holland, plus of course until now Australia held the record for the worst spree killing. America just seems to have more. I have been looking through the stats a lot while chatting with others about the subject-and it seems to be the case that the two countries to look at are America (high gun ownership/lax gun laws and high gun death levels) and Finland (high gun ownership/fairly sensible gun laws but comparatively low gun deaths). To me, just looking at what is different about the culture and mindset/beliefs of the two countries should probably give you the answer. I think it starts with cultural senses of identity and social roles.

One very significant point to keep in mind as well-generally if a culture has a big problem with something its not solving it because they have a blind spot in their culture about it. Find the blind spot and you may find the solution. So-what are the Americans NOT talking about in regards the problem that might make sense to everyone else? What are their 'sacred cows-the things that are so deeply embedded culturally they just don't realise its an issue?

The same can also be applied to our own problems btw-but it would probably take some help from people from other countries to see it. One guy from the States I have been discussing the gun thing with just can't get over how much we let our government snoop on us-how readily we give up things for our elected officials and just let them walk all over us. I think he may have a point.

[smokingboot.livejournal.com]

Totally agree with the points you make above.

[hybridartifacts.livejournal.com]

Right now Im actually feeling for the killers family. This must be really really hard for them. And I am remembering when I was 11 and lived in America (Princeton NJ) and how none of the students at the school who came from other countries-even if they had lived for years there-were accepted by the wider body of pupils at the school. We formed a mini 'league of nations' sitting isolated much of the time and gathering together at breaks because most of the Americans wouldn't even talk to us (I did have a couple of very good American friends, one of whom I still see, but overall we were treated like pariahs). Its actually rather horrifying to realise that I can actually identify a little with the killer. Because I suspect he was treated the same way.
He got lost in himself though-never good. Sanity is never well served by by dwelling on self-we need to get out of our own heads a little from time to time and see other peoples perspectives and pain.