Elizabeth Morgan | Violence and politics in the US: A serious cause for concern

In my January 2022 and other articles, I raised concern about the current political situation in the United States, which is very disturbing.

I note that in other countries people are examining what is unfolding in the US and its implications for their countries and the rest of the world in the lead-up to and after the general elections to be held on November 5.

Violence has not been foreign to political activities in the US. It was certainly seen on January 6, 2022. There is concern about the autocratic direction in which the US could be moving and fear that its democracy could dissolve, giving rise to violence in the country.

GUN VIOLENCE IN AMERICA

The situation in the US took another downward turn last Saturday with an assassination attempt on Republican presidential candidate designate, Donald Trump.

The US is a very violent country with an unhealthy obsession with guns, no matter the attempts to deny it. Civilians there have an estimated 121 guns per 100 people. There are an estimated 394 million guns in the possession of civilians in the US, legal and illegal. No other country in the world has this number of guns in civilian possession. These guns include military-type weapons.

The US has the highest number of deaths by guns than any other country in the world – 12.2 per cent per 100,000. Gun violence costs the US $280 billion per year.

A documentary by US journalist Lisa Ling addressed the number of armed militia groups in the country. This documentary, watched a few years ago, was quite shocking.

The United States has a long history of assassination of presidents and other political figures. In 1865, President Abraham Lincoln was assassinated; followed by James Garfield – 1881; William McKinley – 1901; and John F. Kennedy – 1963. Attempts were made on the lives of presidents Gerald Ford and Ronald Reagan. Other public figures assassinated included Martin Luther King, Robert Kennedy, Huey Long, among others, since the 1840s.

It should also be recalled that it took a savage, bloody civil war from 1861 to 1865 to address the question of slavery in America.

The National Rifle Association (NRA) of America was founded in 1871 and involved men who had been in the Civil War. The NRA has evolved into a major advocate for gun rights in the country, claiming that, under the Constitution, Americans have the right to bear arms as a citizen’s militia. It also gives funding to politicians and political parties.

Therefore, it has been difficult to get action taken in the US Congress to effectively limit the possession and use of guns in America, in spite of frequent mass shootings and assassinations and attempted assassinations in the country, which are not seen in any other developed country. There are politicians in the US who have openly opposed action to limit gun use.

CARICOM AND VIOLENCE AS A PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUE

Countries neighbouring or in the vicinity of the US are seriously impacted by this gun free-for-all in the US, including countries in CARICOM. It will be recalled that in April 2023, Trinidad and Tobago hosted the Regional Symposium addressing Crime and Violence as a Public Health Issue.

CARICOM leaders have called on the US to act to stem the flow of guns into the Caribbean. It will be recalled that the CARICOM leaders agreed to stand with Mexico on its legal action against US gun manufacturers and retailers.

In what was seen as a major development, in June, the US Surgeon General, Dr Vivek Murthy, declared firearm violence a public health crisis in the US, warning in the advisory that gun violence poses a “serious threat to the health and well-being of our country” that has not just a serious physical toll, but also a mental one.

As stated in the media, Donald Trump has not been averse over the last eight years to give support to violence and has not readily supported action promoting gun control in the US.

AMBITION AND POWER

The political atmosphere in the US is actually quite toxic. There is now talk of toning down the rhetoric. I hope these American politicians are genuinely committed to doing this and to addressing gun control. I remain doubtful, however, as the major concern is their ambitions and gaining power at any cost.

This US political campaign has the possibility of turning very ugly, affecting all of us, given our links to the US. Let us continue to hope that good sense will prevail.

CARICOM heads are now scheduled to meet in Grenada, July 28-30, and this conference will provide an opportunity for them to reflect on these issues, among other things.

Elizabeth Morgan is a specialist in international trade policy and international politics. Email feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com