Category Archives: Guns

America’s Sectarian Violence

In the seconds after the El Paso, Texas massacre was announced, how many Trump haters secretly rejoiced: Yes! Gun-loving Texans got a taste of their own politics! In a Walmart, no less! Then, reality: Oh, that’s a border town. A lot of Hispanics live there, especially immigrants who are here illegally. And Walmart – yes, […]

Going Postal? Me Too!

It’s amazing more newsrooms haven’t been shot up by the likes of Jarrod Ramos. The news business angers somebody every day, and newsrooms are often readily accessible, especially smaller newspapers. Open the door to many smaller newspapers during regular business hours, and you can walk right in, usually to be greeted by a receptionist. The […]

‘Please Do Something!’

How can a country that can’t handle a stupid tweet from Roseanne Barr possibly do anything about school shootings? We can hit the delete key on someone who has offended the wrong people, and make her disappear. We can’t do that with killers. We can’t even judge them too harshly. We offer them a seat […]

Our Hateful Gun Debate

And the Oscar for best killer goes to … That’s how it’s starting to feel in America. Our real-life, mass shootings with the dramatic cell phone videos and gripping narratives by survivors resemble violent movies. American popular culture long ago made violence cool. The proliferation of high-capacity weapons, far beyond what is needed for hunting […]

Get Out — From Under the Past

If Quanice Hayes had been given my brain, he would not have been shot by Portland police. No, if this 17-year-old black male thought like I did, he would have never put a gun to a homeless man’s head, robbed him of his food stamp card and then later, as police tried to arrest him, […]

San Bernardino: America’s Future?

SAN BERNARDINO – This hellhole used to be my playground. It says something about this city that in the days after 14 people were killed and 21 injured in a terrorist attack, some folks here were hoping the media attention might help San Berdoo turn around. A year from now when the media revisit for […]

Dr. Carson’s Remedy

What a shame Ben Carson doesn’t have the street cred of rapper Young Thug. The media might have treated the retired neurosurgeon and presidential candidate with more respect when he suggested that crime victims should fight back. Carson was portrayed as another loony tune Republican when he made his suggestion after a mass shooting earlier […]

‘Stay Mad Normie Scum’

Too bad Pope Francis didn’t visit America a week later. He could have used the killings at Umpqua Community College in Roseburg, Ore., to denounce guns – and abortion. The Holy Father could have pointed to the killer’s apparent hatred of religion, then – working all angles – he could have drawn a connection between […]

America’s Black Whine

 Thank God for the NRA, or the media might have to contemplate the blood on their own hands in the creation of Vester Flanagan. As it is, the media will probably let Flanagan fade away much the same way they let Christopher Dorner disappear. Remember Dorner? He was the black, ex-Los Angeles police officer who […]

Fear of Black Men

The year 2042 can’t get here fast enough. That’s the year when demographers predict white people will be the statistical minority in the U.S. Finally, black folks will have to find someone else to blame besides whitey. Only joking. I’m not worried about being a statistical minority because I’ve never felt part of a majority. […]