The rising wave of gun violence against American school children

 

Parents in grief following the school shooting in Minneapolis. Photo credit: usatoday.com

The continued shooting of schoolchildren in the United States is alarming. I believe that the alarmingly high rate of gun violence against schools is not exclusive to America. Students around the world are affected by any disaster that occurs in the United States.

The Americans claim that it is a uniquely American custom to carry a weapon at any time and anywhere. They demand the right to bear arms. Even though the US is regarded as a wonderful nation, they are incapable of addressing gun-related issues or stopping the deaths of people, especially innocent children, if the law allows Americans to possess and carry guns anywhere.

 

I can't even begin to count the number of shootings that have occurred in the United States. As is customary, a news conference is held after an occurrence, and the relatives of the victims are assured that it won't happen again. However, there will be a shooting that kills individuals or children in less than a year or six months.

 

It appears that shootings have happened under every US president, but none of them imposed strict gun control regulations to stop unforeseen tragedies. The question is whether the US government has failed to find a solution or if the rules that are now in place regarding guns are insufficient to address this issue.

 

Although I'm not a psychologist, it's obvious to me that many Americans lack faith in the government, the police, or the law; as a result, they prefer to take the law into their own hands. Prohibiting citizens of large cities from having unrestricted access to firearms is a vital solution to the mass shooting problem in the United States, but this hasn't worked out since people disagree.

 

The vast number of firearms in American hands is a result of psychological problems that make many Americans feel unsafe in their communities and schools. The custom of openly carrying a weapon began when the United States was fighting for its freedom from the British Empire.

 

The expert claims that all efforts to alter or manipulate the system to stop mass shootings have failed. Just consider this:46% of all legal firearms worldwide are owned by Americans. This indicates that there are more than 120 weapons for every 100th citizen.

 

The expert claims that disagreements over how to handle major shootings are another issue preventing American authorities from reaching a final decision on a total ban on guns. A federal sales database for all firearms is something the Democrats are in favor of. They also suggest outlawing high-capacity magazines and assault firearms. Republicans, however, are against this plan.

 

According to the expert, the best way to prevent mass shootings would be to restrict the ability of people to carry firearms in cities with a population of 100,000 or more. The expert suggested that only farmers and those who frequently work with criminal syndicates should be permitted to possess firearms.

 

The expert claims that densely populated, somewhat large cities are where mass murders most frequently take place; since they frequently want to carry out a mass assault, shooters consistently choose crowded locations such as malls and schools. They are aware that their automatic guns may easily murder several people, which explains why there are so many gun-related fatalities in the US.

 

More than 30,000 individuals are killed by firearms every year, according to media reports, and statistics from US news outlets show that this summer, gun owners killed at least 17 Americans and injured 44 more. As a result, August 26 will go down in US history as the day of the Jacksonville incident, when three people were killed after a shooter carrying a rifle and a handgun opened fire on someone.

 

Three days earlier, a former police officer had shot and injured his ex-wife before shooting at random individuals in Cook's Corner, leaving three people dead and five injured. Trabuco Canyon is where the incident took place. At a party in South Baltimore, Maryland, two individuals were killed and three more were injured. In mid-April 2023, a similar crime was committed in the town of Dudeville (Alabama). 

 

The most recent shooting incident occurred at a Catholic church in Minneapolis and claimed the lives of two youngsters. The children were shot during an all-school Mass at the Annunciation Catholic Church in south Minneapolis as instructors and students scrambled for cover from a hail of gunfire and shattering glass. Officials said 15 minors were among the 18 additional people injured.

In my opinion, the US government's efforts to persuade the world to know that it is the best nation in the world should not be based solely on its military might but also on its ability to solve long-standing issues.

COVID-19 Pandemic, Each One For Himself, God For Us All

The fast rate of the COVID-19infections and deaths is very alarming. / Photo credit: futurism.com/neoscope

We can't ignore the fact that we are now in a very terribly frightening period, as the coronavirus infection increases without any promise or sign of subsiding in any part of the world.

Everyone, including children and adults, lives in fear as the world watches in horror as COVID-19 infects thousands of people each day while claiming the lives of thousands as well, sending them to their untimely grave. The impact of the coronavirus has affected our economy and health systems and made the life of a human being valueless and meaningless.

School children, university students, workers, etc., are all under psychological pressure and trauma, which could take several months or even years to recover from. Despite all the rules, the coronavirus in Belgium has not yet had any effect on the number of infections. 

The situation in Belgian hospitals is more than worrying. Corona numbers have been on the rise for weeks. Belgium has almost the most infections per hundred thousand inhabitants each day, and its impact has taken a heavy toll on the country.

 

Several Belgian newspapers have reported about filling up with corona in the country’s hospitals. That is really bad since it is likely that new coronavirus patients will be forced to seek medical attention at home with or without health personnel. The current COVID-19data reveals that Belgium has 412,314 confirmed cases and 11,452 deaths. 

Every country in the world is mourning, and the crisis has forced retired nurses, doctors, and health personnel to come and save lives. Unfortunately, many of the doctors have been killed by the virus while on duty, making the situation hopeless. And the more disturbing factor is old people living alone without anyone to take care of them.

 

When you are attacked by the coronavirus, you have one choice, which is probably to die at home because worldwide, there is no more space in the hospitals to accommodate COVID-19patients. This is the most difficult time for this generation: each one for himself, God for us all.

Scientists have predicted more deaths will occur during this winter because the respiratory viral infection is much more active during the winter. This is a fact because, in medical history, flu infections increase more in cold places than in temperate regions. 

Related post: THE HISTORY OF THE PANDEMIC SPANISH FLU IN 1918

1918 historical photo of some of the survivors of the flu pandemic

In this crucial time of COVID-19, so many deaths at the hospital have made life valueless, and since nobody can confirm how safe the new vaccines on the market are, if you believe in God, then pray for your own survival.

ANTWERP: TRANSPORT MADE MORE EASY BY BICYCLE

Antwerp city bicycles to enhance easy movement



One of the best transport connection systems and flexibility, facilitating easy movement of workers, school children, students, etc, in Europe, can be found in Antwerp. Yet the city planners are not at rest, always trying their best to improve the transportation system.


For example, a new tram line is under construction. That would run from Mortsel to Boechout, both suburbs of Antwerp. Another new line is from Deurne to Wijnegem Shopping Center. 

In June this year, the city of Antwerp introduced several red and white bicycles to facilitate easy movement in the city during rush hours.

"The bicycle hiring has been successful from the start. The customer service every day gets approximately eighty applications for a year card, and the number is increasing every day," Said Ivon Deden, the head of the customer service. 

According to her, by the end of summer, the cycle network will expand to about 85 stations.

There are many benefits to using bicycles as a regular mode of transport. Personal health benefits are very important. 

Cycling keeps the body in shape, reducing the chances of getting any heart problems. Cost benefits are another advantage as a bicycle doesn't attract any parking fees or petrol filling.

 Finally, regarding environmental benefits, a bicycle never pollutes the atmosphere and can quickly take one to their destination during rush hours. 

In Europe, the bicycle plays an important role as a mode of transport in many countries, such as the Netherlands, Denmark, France, and Norway.