I wish there were something more to say than my thoughts are with Orlando. More importantly, I wish there were something more that I could actually do to help prevent future tragedies.
This horrific crime is complex, seemingly more complex than others, but that does not absolve us from doing what we can to change this paradigm of violence. Today's digest is dedicated to the victims of the murder in Orlando with a commitment to work for something better. Due to the complexity of the situation, there will be more commentary and fewer links today.
As always, happy Wednesday and happy reading.
This Day in History
1215 - The Magna Carta is sealed by royal decree of King John. Seen as one of the seminal documents in the evolution of western democracy and liberty, the Magna Carta was an agreement forced upon King John by the aristocracy who were tired of his ruinous mismanagement of government, and wanted legal protection for their property. Today, it seems crazy to think that a document intended to protect the the nobility from the overreach of the king was a step forward, but history shows us the ebb and flow of the slow evolution of our institutions.
King John acknowledging a job poorly done.
What's Next for Democracy?
If the Magna Carta represents a look a democracy's origins, we might wonder what democracy's future looks like as well. Personally, I believe that one thing that makes democracy wonderful is our public discourse and debate. It is hard to overstate how much we take this for granted. Although we rightfully look at the current state of our discourse and decorum and become appalled, it is important to remember that we have an obligation to uphold this important aspect of civic society.
Conversation is difficult, and we find ourselves angry, but if we are unable to talk we will ultimately fight, history has proven this for us time and time again, and we are seeing it happening on a small scale during this presidential election. It is of utmost importance that we engage in civil discourse in a manner that is based on objectivity, values all participants, and allows us to peacefully - albeit with much agitation - solve our problems. If we cannot find a way to restore this level of discourse, our form of self-government is doomed, because through refusal to cooperate and dialogue that paints others as less than human we lay a foundation for violence.
Motivations and Reactions
Of the many factors that culminated in this tragedy, the motivations of the shooter are perhaps the most complex and unclear. He targeted a gay club. Was this because of religious-inspired biases? The attacker was Muslim. Was there an element of psychological instability? It has been suggested that the shooter may have been gay himself. I do not have answers to these questions.
However I find it both upsetting and premature to race to conclusions that stereotype a possible religious motivation. If in fact this man was motivated by his perverse interpretation of Islam, that does not justify a blanket condemnation of Muslims, nor policies that are designed to target and oppress them. Such reactions are not only unconstitutional and offensive to Muslims and those who have Muslim friends, they are impractical and antithetical to solving the problem, which leads me to...
Immigration and Surveillance
It is worth pointing out that the shooter was born in New York, not far from Brooklyn, one of the most diverse places on the planet. Whatever he may have been, he was not an immigrant, but a first-generation American. Many say that we are exposing ourselves to danger by letting people from certain parts of the world who hold certain beliefs into our country so freely, but I object.
For one thing, based on a statistically significant sample size, we know that most Muslim and other immigrants are not dangerous nor are they here to insidiously destroy our society. They want better lives. If we were to apply such scrutiny to addressing mass shootings as a whole we would be targeting men, and particularly white men, more than any other demographic, but that also absolves us of the complex analysis needed here.
More importantly is that this case highlights that are security agencies are thorough, if not necessarily effective. The shooter was on the FBI's radar, and had indeed been interviewed many times! Based on the facts of this case, a proposal to bar Muslim immigrants because of lax security is a total red herring! The shooter was a homegrown terrorist who committed this heinous crime in spite of an intelligence system that knew of him. That isn't a failure of wantonly letting in dangerous immigrants, it is an example of how difficult it is to prevent certain tragedies, even when we possess some knowledge.
Furthermore, and particularly given how difficult it can be to prevent such crimes, it is important we build a society in which others feel welcome and safe and not victimized in such a way that compels violence.
And Then There Were Guns
This massacre was the worst mass shooting in US history. A horrifying number of people were killed and injured. Apparently the shooter was armed with only two guns. No doubt the chaos of the situation exacerbated the carnage, but it is horrifying to think that someone who was under investigation by the FBI for terrorist inclinations is so easily able to get guns.
I won't pretend that tighter regulations on who is allowed to get guns, how, and which types will prevent every mass shooting. They won't. But at this point failure to act and at least try to address this massive public health and public safety crisis is tantamount to endorsing murder. Absent a robust and concerted effort to address gun violence that involves a myriad of ways to safely limit guns and gun ownership, I fear we are destined to live in a society that will only become desperately less safe.
Missed Connections
SPOTTED: Petite, with dark eyes and light fur. You were on the C Train going uptown around 3 PM on June 6th. We made eye contact, and I whistled at you. If you see this, message me so we can meet. I think I love you.
Will's Weekly Trivia!
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IF you choose to answer the question, respond to staton.will@gmail.com with your answer. Please note that by competing you are giving me permission to publish your first name in the trivia leader board each week.
TRIVIA!
Last Week:
1. What was the name of the friendly green ghost in Ghostbusters? ONE POINT
2. Which country was the first to allow women's suffrage? (Hint: it's not in Europe) ONE POINT
3. Which constitutional amendment gave women the right to vote? What year was it ratified? ONE POINT APIECE
Answer:
1. The ghost's name was Slimer
2. New Zealand was the first country to allow women's suffrage
3. The 19th amendment gave women the right to vote. It was passed in 1919, but ratified in 1920.
This Week:
1. What does Magna Carta mean? ONE POINT
2. Where in England was the Magna Carta delivered? ONE POINT
3. King John of Englad become king after the death of his far more famous older brother. What was his brother's name (i.e. King Will, # is not needed, so King Will I or King Will V doesn't matter)? What was his brother's famous nickname (i.e. King Will the Hungry). ONE POINT APIECE
LEADER BOARD The race for first is tightening! Check your spot on the leader board HERE on Willful Intent.
