As Told by Brandt

Fear is big business and Empathy needs to reign

I watch too much television, Youtube, and other forms of media.  Without knowing how much is too much, it’s safe to say my time could be better spent.  I gravitate toward gangster films and “real life” homicide shows.  Netflix has a new docuseries that focuses on life of in the emergency departments in NYC.  Last night, I binged three episodes, with the focus on a young man fighting a cancerous brain tumor and another 17-year-old boy, who was shot three times.  The young man with the brain tumor passed away weeks after his surgery.  The boy is still fighting for his life with extensive internal organ damage.

My dreams last night were terrible.  I dreamt of Jacob’s passing and my own demise.  Twice I awoke, cloaked in sweat and fear.  Why do I do this to myself?  I’ve been asking myself this for about six years.  Why is devastation and human depravity part of my filter?  One of the ED doctors made a blanket statement regarding the long-lasting effects of Covid.  He said that fear and lack of trust is higher than ever.  Who is driving this message?

The answer is simply complicated.  Fear is the largest commodity we possess.  It sells.  It’s easy.  Why not blame other people, places, and things instead of looking within?  We are in an empathy crisis.  I am more afraid of the future than ever.  I’ve become a statistic of people who don’t trust. 

So, why is this essay entitled, “A Social commentary on Gun Violence,” if I have yet to discuss gun violence?  Perhaps I am in a bit of a personal filibuster.  The gun lobby and those who benefit from it, have taken control of this country, like never before.  Here are facts regarding gun violence in the UNITED STATES of AMERICA in 2023 YTD:

• 130 Mass Shootings
• 74 DEAD STUDENTS K-12
• Additional 56 Severely injured
• 89 incidents involving guns K-12

When I was a school age child, I had three fears:

• Communist attack which was a result of fear of the Cold War
• Tornadoes
• Earthquakes

We took the following precautions in schools.  My memory is a bit fuzzy on the attack of the dreaded communists, but it had something to do with finding a low area or a bunker so when they dropped THE BOMB, we could survive.  Tornadoes with very scary.  We had multiple drills all year to help us stay safe from the dreaded tornado. No one questioned it.  We just walked calmly away from windows, found the hallway or cloak room, and placed our heads between our knees in a seated position.  Earthquake training was similar. 

In the 13 years I was in school, there were 12 school deaths nationwide.  They happened in two separate instances (1978, 1989).  I didn’t see the earthquake figures, but I can promise the number is low.  I was scared shitless, however of these catastrophes. 

In the exact same period, there have been 1,524 school related gun incidents and 376 school shootings.  I consider myself logical and will put a scenario together with different criteria.  As a recovered alcoholic, how would the condition of my recovery be if I spent every day in a bar sipping water?  What if I were a diabetic and spent every day touring chocolate factories?  It’s conceivable and even likely, I would relapse and eat chocolate in those scenarios, yet the money from the gun lobby continues to force feed us fear based solutions for the need for more guns. 

The gun lobby made a brilliant move.  While we were scared of Russians and swirling wind, they attacked in an entire religion.  They convinced this religion that we needed to be armed against those who destroy its values.  It also has hidden behind a piece of paper written almost 250 years ago.

So here is my opinion on curbing mass shootings:

• Ban assault weapons.  They serve NO useful purpose.  If bear attacks rise significantly, let me know.  #cocainebear
• Elect sensible officials to govern this land
  • No reasonable person would ever vote to elect Donald Trump, MTG, or Lauren Boebert
• Have real gun screenings that work.  In the state of Ohio, it takes 1800 hours of barber training to become a barber.  18 fucking HUNDRED hours. 
• Start caring more about our kids than your fucking rights.
• The Bible is a religious doctrine written in Hebrew, Arabic, and Greek.  Homosexuality wasn’t even a thought until the 1950’s when the Bible was, AGAIN, miswritten to fit a narrative.
• STOP BEING MEAN.  Parents, teach love to your kids.  It’s okay for boys to cry and be vulnerable.  If you teach your kids empathy, they won’t grow up to be complete assholes
• Let teachers teach.  Plain and simple.  Allow them space to do what they do. 
• Understand that love, respect, and empathy are FAR more important that your right and your religion
• RESPECT OTHERS RIGHT TO RELIGION AND…OTHERS RIGHT TO NOT BELIEVE IN RELIGION OR G-D
  • Be mindful that prior to the 2^nd Amendment, the 1^st was written for a reason
• Read the entire constitution.  It’s not long
  • I have had multiple conversations with so-called “We the People” fucks.  Whenever I see that bumper sticker, and I have the ability, I ask them to finish the sentence.  100% of them cannot
  • We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.
    • Domestic tranquility and common welfare are beautiful ideals that are cloaked in EMPATHY