Guns, Guns, Guns

It's a song released in 1972 by a band called Guess Who. It speaks to the violence done against nature by guns. The violence we're experiencing now is a bit different - it's against ourselves. But if we can't respect nature, perhaps it goes hand in hand that we won't respect each other...

Guns, Guns, Guns by Guess Who

What is it like to hear of a mass shooting back home in the US while in China? It is heart-breaking.
It is difficult because you want details, and you want them now, and you want them from a reliable source. On the other hand, perhaps it's a relief, because you're not barraged with 24/7 coverage on the TV that you are glued to for no good reason - because things unfold slowly.
What do the Chinese think about it? It scares them to death. Students are questioning their decision to go to school in the US. I tell them how it is a rare occurrence, and the chances of something like that happening to them is infinitesimally small. And then it happens again... and again... and again. Some may say that fewer Chinese coming to the US is a good thing, so big deal! But you know what? One thing I've discovered over here is that Chinese teenagers are no different from their counterparts in the US. There's a lot of good kids here that want to go to school in the US because they like Western ideas and the way of living. Giving them a chance to study in the US allows them to come back to China and spread our 'revolutionary' ideas. We are in a global economy with no turning back. One of the best ways to insure our safety in this new world is through education. I hope we don't lose sight of that. It seems we could use a bit of education in our own country as well...
So I hear about this latest shooting in California, and the previous one in Oregon (has there been another one between these two? I can't even remember) and it literally brings tears to my eyes. What is happening to our country? I get covered with a deep sadness...
Most Chinese students will likely get over this and continue on, just as most Americans will. But it forms a lasting impression on them that Americans are a violent people. I don't know about your impression of China, but I have yet to see a gun here (even on policemen although I assume they must carry them somewhere). I certainly haven't seen any assault rifles. When I first got here, I would sometimes hear loud explosions outside my apartment window and imagined them to be guns or bombs. I quickly learned it was just fireworks (and let me tell you they blow off some LOUD ones!).
If you heard them in the US, you'd be running for cover! Here, they may signify the passing of a loved one or the opening of a new store to attract attention. But no one even flinches.

As the NYT so aptly put it, God will not fix this...


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