AMERICAN LEFT HISTORY

This space is dedicated to the proposition that we need to know the history of the struggles on the left and of earlier progressive movements here and world-wide. If we can learn from the mistakes made in the past (as well as what went right) we can move forward in the future to create a more just and equitable society. We will be reviewing books, CDs, and movies we believe everyone needs to read, hear and look at as well as making commentary from time to time. Greg Green, site manager

Saturday, August 10, 2019

The Connection between Mass Shootings and Militarism Massachusetts Peace Action Brian Garvey

Massachusetts Peace Action Brian Garvey<info@masspeaceaction.org>

8/9/2019 8:50 AM

To Al Johnson

Violence Abroad Doen't make us Safe, it comes Home

Sandy Hook, Orlando, Charleston, Las Vegas, Wakefield, Sutherland Springs, Pittsburgh, Parkland, Aurora, Virginia Tech, San Bernadino, Columbine. There were already too many mass shootings to name. Now we add Gilroy, Dayton, and El Paso to the list. In the wake three more mass shootings in the last week, people across the United States are once again having the same debate we've now been having for decades. Is this about guns or mental health? Political extremism or white supremacy? Terrorism or crime? We feel the same emotions: sorrow, fear, outrage, guilty fascination, and worst of all a feeling of powerlessness.

As peace activists we are committed to challenge and confront acts of violence all over the world. It is critical for us to connect these horrific incidents of violence in the United States, especially those perpetrated with military weapons, to the violence we've exported around the world for so long. A mainstream belief among opponents to gun control is that more weapons actually make us safer. Its corollary is the belief that thousands of heavily armed American soldiers occupying countries all over the world makes us safe. It just isn't true.

There is a common root of these tragedies, the endless wars abroad and the mass killings at home. It is the glorification of violence that pervades our culture. We see it at our sports games, parades, and even in our schools. We heap our greatest honors on men with guns, police and soldiers. We have become accustomed and addicted to violence.

It's not a coincidence that this nation, the greatest purveyor of military violence in the world, suffers from so much senseless violence at home. If you see the link between militarism and gun violence, help us make the connection.

Here's what you need to do:

1) Call your representative or senator's district office. Here are the phone numbers:

Katherine Clark

(617) 354-0292

Stephen Lynch

(617) 428-2000

Jim McGovern

(508)-831-7356

Lori Trahan

(978) 459-0101

Ayanna Pressley

(617) 850-0040

William Keating

(508)-771-6868

Joe Kennedy

(617) 332-3333

Seth Moulton

(978) 531-1669

Richard Neal

(413) 785-0325

Elizabeth Warren

(617) 565-3170

Ed Markey

(617)-565-8519

2) When connected say: My name is ___________ and I am a constituent living at (your address). I'm calling today because I'm concerned with the epidemic of gun violence in this country. We've been a nation at war for almost 20 years. It's not coincidence that we're seeing these massacres at home, often committed with the very same weapons of war.

3) Report back to us by calling (617) 354-2169 or write to us at info@masspeaceaction.org. We need to coordinate our efforts and know what members or their staff had to say.