GOP candidates stoking fears
Twenty Americans were injured and six died because of gun violence last Tuesday.
That night in Las Vegas, 13 Republican presidential candidates appeared in debates, reaffirming their claims that radical jihadists are hiding under our beds.
There wasn’t a word devoted to the lives lost of 12,662 Americans through gun violence in 2015.
National security was the stated topic of both debates.
There was lots of tough talk, and a competition about who can be the toughest tough talker when it comes to vanquishing jihadists.
“WWIII has begun,” declared Rick Santorum during the second-string debate.
“And they all are trying to come here to kill us all,” claimed Lindsey Graham.
Graham, the only one of the 13 debaters who’s bothered to put on a military uniform, is steadfast in his desires to wipe ISIS from the face of the earth.
So is Mike Huckabee, who managed to escape military service, during and after Vietnam.
“We’re angry and afraid. We are at war,” Huckabee explained.
If we’re “angry and afraid,” I’d blame the Republicans running for president more than any single event.
True, the vicious murder of innocent victims in San Bernardino, California on Dec. 2 is the cause for serious concern.
But the same Republicans who’ve used those murders as political fodder, attack President Obama when he calls for gun control after wild-eyed domestic murderers attack.
The chance that any of us will ever stare down the barrel of a gun held by one of our neighbors, is far, far greater than that of a gun pointed our way in the hands of a newly radicalized terrorist.
There’s a wealth of information that supports that.
John Mueller, an Ohio State University professor, has written books on the subject.
He claims that the chance that you’ll be murdered by a terrorist is about one in four million on an annual basis.
In his book “Chasing Ghosts: The Policing of Terrorism,” he claims that you have a much higher likelihood of dying behind the wheel of your car.
When you finish reading this, and you jump into your car and head for a supermarket supermarket, you have a one in 8,000 chance of losing your life before you reach home.
Yet, most of us aren’t terrified about drunk drivers, or people texting while they drive – who’re preoccupied and highly dangerous.
Republicans elbowing each other to gain entry into the Oval Office, are, like Chris Christie, willing to pick a fight with Russia, (so he says), in order to “keep us safe.”
But let’s run the numbers.
According to Gun Violence Archive (http://www.gunviolencearchive.org), which tracks daily incidents of gun violence in America, there’ve been 49,984 gun related incidents this year.
We’ve never declared war on the perpetrators.
Tonight, when you watch the news on Channel 2 or Channel 4, there’ll be reports of those gun related incidents – and sadly, in our midst.
By contrast, since 9/11, there’ve only been 45 Americans who’ve died at the hands of violent jihadist extremists.
That’s actually three less, than the 48 Americans who’ve become victims of right wing extremists.
That number will never come up during a Republican presidential debate.
We’re being taught to live in fear of every shadow that may hide a boogeyman, by people who refuse to leave the safety of their political aspirations.
All of this tough talk gets punctuated by the supposed weaknesses of Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama.
Carly Fiorina, who’s had her own difficulties with veracity, claimed last Tuesday night, that, “One of the things I would immediately do, in addition to defeating them here at home, is bring back the warrior class — Petraeus, McChrystal, Mattis, Keane, Flynn. Every single one of these generals I know. Everyone was retired early because they told President Obama things that he didn’t want to hear.”
She’s wrong. Two of those generals did resign after having philosophical differences with Obama.
Two others were removed for other reasons.
But Keane, resigned in 2000 – six years before Obama became president.
It didn’t suit her narrative to tell the truth.
Edward A. Owens is a three time Emmy Award winner and 20-year veteran of television news. E-mail him at freedoms@bellatlantic.net