AMERICAN HISTORY AND MODERN AMERICA

I can not even gather enough mental faculties to imagine something like this happening to me or to anybody near me. It is not that I live in a remote empty and deserted place. On contrary, I live in a European capitol city, in its center. Hundreds of thousands visit it daily as tourists, on business, or just settle down. I do not have the statistics, just my personal experience and a general knowledge of what goes on around me. I feel quite safe . Except for the police, I have never seen somebody carry a gun. Sure , there is some crime , but rarely does it take the form of extreme violence you described , especially not for an insignificant return of one cell phone and less that $ 100! It seems to be a phenomenon typical of your country. So what has gone so wrong? The immigrants’ dream, the promised land of opportunities where everybody can become a millionaire and even a president?

What are the roots of the problems in the present day America? Could it be something that has started at the very beginning? The “wild west” history? Is it maybe karma — to use this lately so popular word, borrowed from another culture and belief — as in the price you are paying for the way the country was taken from its native inhabitants? Has the boomerang returned? Indiscriminate violence, killing and guns . That was how modern America came to existence. Then the slaves were brought from Africa — more violence on the largest scale — and the slave labor had built the economy. So we have a genocide on one hand and the slavery on the other : These two are not some distant forgotten ancestors, because this is a young country and this is its history, as recent as can possibly be. Therefore , genocide and slavery — the two worst crimes of humanity — of a nation against nation — they are the mother and the father of modern America. What is more , they are still alive. How else am I to explain why there are still reservations for the Native Americans today ,in the 21st century? How else to understand the huge issue of social division along the line of the skin color and of the discrimination of the African Americans with all the consequences that follow as a rule?

I understand your anger at what has happened to your son. There are even more dangers lurking. In a few years, God willing, you will have grandchildren as well. And you will have to worry if they are safe at school , because the mass shootings of kids by kids in the schools have also happened, and more than once. Terrible! Only , when reading your article , I had an impression that you are an advocate for the citizens’ free possession of guns. You did not say it in so many words , so maybe I am wrong. But it did feel as if that was what you implied. Sadly , if that is what you meant, you may even be right. Maybe it is the only way for an American to live . And to die. By gun. I wonder what Donald Trump says about the gun laws…