America, The Sick Land of Thoughts and Prayers
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| Image: depositphotos.com |
Even before the bloody Columbine High School massacre in April 1999, mass shootings had been frequent in the US. From schools and churches to shopping malls and city parks, radicalized, politically motivated, and mentally ill persons with easy access to guns continue to shed blood and leave death in their wake.
So what else is new?
The recent shooting in Nashville, Tennessee, occurred at a Christian school where the killer had once been a student. The shooter happened to be trans, which opened the door for hyper-conservatives to attack the trans community.
The conservative media quickly seized on this fact and is using it to spread more lies and further their agenda to erase trans Americans. They labeled trans people "domestic terrorists" and are now using this unfortunate incident in Tennessee to justify their inaction regarding the gun violence epidemic. This is a pattern that minorities have seen before, with the Black, Muslim, Jewish, and Asian communities facing similar attacks.
What is true is that lawmakers have failed to take action despite the frequency of these tragedies, choosing to defend guns instead of lives. The result is that Americans have become numb to these events, with lawmakers blaming mental illness, poverty, people of color, and now, gender identity to avoid accountability.
The trans community is not responsible for the actions of brutal murderers, nor should they be used as political currency to further a cruel and heartless agenda. Conservatives have a history of instigating hatred and violence towards minorities to protect the interests of stereotypical white, Christian, cisgender, straight, and sexually insecure American men.
When we heard the shooter was trans, there was a collective gasp in the trans community. We knew what was coming next. GOP and far-right representatives would immediately leverage the killer's identity and weaponize it for their agenda. Trans people would make for the perfect deflection to take the attention away from inadequate gun laws.
But Conservatives use emotional events and unspeakable tragedies to create false narratives about marginalized communities; they are experts at laying targets on the backs of minorities. It makes sense that trans people are now being branded as would-be child killers, with politicians using them as an excuse for their inaction, claiming that "it's not guns that are the problem, it's trans people."
Blaming the trans community for the actions of one individual, who happened to be trans, is a strawman argument because it presents a false and exaggerated version of the trans community. Most trans people are not violent and do not support or engage in mass shootings. By blaming the trans community for the actions of one individual, the real issue of gun violence in America is obscured, and the trans community is unfairly targeted and scapegoated.
Using this tragedy to further a political agenda is reprehensible. Americans should not let the recent deaths be leveraged for political reasons. Americans must look hard at the gun violence epidemic in their country and enact meaningful change to protect their citizens.
In conclusion, the recent shooting in Nashville, Tennessee, is a tragedy that has left many mourning the loss of innocent lives. It is important to remember that the actions of one individual do not represent an entire community. The trans community is not a threat but a vulnerable population that deserves protection and support.
Conservatives and the far-right media will continue to spread lies and false narratives to deflect from the real issue of gun violence in America. You cannot let their propaganda go unchecked. Call out the lies and the propaganda, and demand action from your lawmakers.
Grieve and heal, but take action to prevent further senseless acts of violence as you ponder the question: do you have the courage of your convictions to create a society that values the lives of all its citizens, regardless of their race, religion, skin color, sexual orientation or gender identity?
