Another Shooting in the American Heartland

There was another shooting at a gay nightclub, giving me severe deja view of the Club Pulse Massacre in Orlando, Florida. With shootings happening all the time down south, it becomes almost like a version of Groundhog’s Day, with the same events and responses coming as expected. While it is easy to get angry at the cliche nature of “thoughts and prayers”, we are not left with a clear and effective alternative. While Toronto does have a gun problem, it is mostly contained to criminal arenas where few bystanders frequent. Of course, this totally discounts the Eaton Centre shooting a couple years back, when American style guerilla warfare came to the Great White North. 

Another Meshuganna Criminal

The accused is a 20 year old guy with a history of violence. Despite having red flag laws-which allow the government to seize firearms-he was never subject to any intervention. The case is quite early, with all of the details bound to come to light in the coming weeks. I do not know why he decided to shoot up this club on this day, nor could he provide any answer that would remotely satisfy our curiosity. I have spent years working in various clubs in Toronto, often manning the door as a bouncer. While most patrons are kind and considerate, the atmosphere can bring out the worst in people, with alcohol and sex serving as the catalyst. Despite sounding rude or offensive, most of the violence was committed by short-statured men. My wife says that this is due to the need to compensate, perhaps forcing people to take them seriously. In any event, I have only been assaulted by vertically-challenged men. 

The First Gay & Jewish Governor

Jared Polis is the first man who meets both of these criteria, something that is prioritized in the era of equity and inclusion. Despite being a partisan Democrat, the assault took place in Colorado Springs, a beacon for Trump-style conservatism in the area. Putting it further into context, Denver is one of the few progressive areas in the midwest, being engulfed by the sea of red. This adds another element to the story, connecting it to the family background of the accused. Without naming his specifically, he is the grandson of California Republican politician, Mr. Randy Voepel. Even if he hadn’t lost his bid for reelection, surely this negative publicity would have done the trick. 

Calling A Spade A Spade

If you take the criminals from the Columbine Shooting, all of the subsequent shooters are carbon copies. 

They all:

1. Felt that they were great, society didn’t see their greatness=society has to pay.
2. Women are evil because they did not choose them as mates.
3. Had poor career prospects.
4. Mental illness, video games, and occasional pharmaceuticals. 
5. Access to digital forums where they could expand their ideology and get emotional support through bonding.

Where Do We Go From Here

I am a Jew so I am not a hunter, preferring to get my meat at Toronto Kosher or Sobeys.

I live in Canada so I do not need a gun to defend myself.

I do not identify with gun ownership, seeing it as a tool for specific situations. 

While this might be an example of anti-gay bigotry-which it very much might be-there are problems that expand beyond one specific community. Spree-killings happen in every type of establishment, from restaurant to hotel to concert venue. While it is important to designate certain acts as hate crimes, it is time to go deeper into the psyche of American boys.