"Mass shootings have become routine in the United States and speak to a society that relies on violence to feed the coffers of the merchants of death. Given the profits made by arms manufacturers, the defense industry, gun dealers and the lobbyists who represent them in Congress, it comes as no surprise that the culture of violence cannot be abstracted from either the culture of business or the corruption of politics. Violence runs through US society like an electric current offering instant pleasure from all cultural sources, whether it be the nightly news or a television series that glorifies serial killers."-Professor Henry A. Giroux
© Patheos
We're left with more questions than answers, none of them a flattering reflection of the nation's values, political priorities, or the manner in which the military-industrial complex continues to dominate, dictate and shape almost every aspect of our lives.
For starters, why do these mass shootings keep happening? Mass shootings have taken place at churches, in nightclubs, on college campuses, on military bases, in elementary schools, in government offices, and at concerts. This shooting is the deadliest to date.
What is it about America that makes violence our nation's calling card?
Is it because America is a gun culture (what professor Henry Giroux describes as "a culture soaked in blood - a culture that threatens everyone and extends from accidental deaths, suicides and domestic violence to mass shootings")?
Is it because guns are so readily available? After all, the U.S. is home to more firearms than adults. As The Atlantic reports, gun fetishism has become mainstream in recent decades due in large part to "gun porn in music, movies, and TV, [and] the combination of weapons marketing and violent videogames." (Curiously enough, the majority of gun-related deaths in the U.S. are suicides, not homicides.)
Is it because entertainment violence is the hottest selling ticket at the box office? As Giroux points out, "Popular culture not only trades in violence as entertainment, but also it delivers violence to a society addicted to a pleasure principle steeped in graphic and extreme images of human suffering, mayhem and torture."
Comment: Following the ceremony, Huntsman released a statement saying he "looks forward to working to rebuild trust between our two countries and to strengthening the bilateral relationship based on cooperation on common."
We shouldn't expect anything new from this hypocrite. During his confirmation hearing last week he said, "there is no question, underline, no question" that Moscow interfered. He also said he would not hesitate to remind Russian officials that they are accountable for their actions. It's quite obvious the US intends on driving relations with Russia further into the ground, and there is no genuine intent toward 'rebuilding trust with Russia'.