With so many
ways that “violent images are reaching Americans”, America has become “a large
lunatic asylum”, says an award-winning American
journalist.
In the deadliest
rampage at an elementary school in U.S. history, a gunman killed 20 children and
6 adults on Friday in Newtown, Connecticut.
Following the
massacre, many in the country called for stricter gun control laws and a pro-gun
control petition launched through the White House’s “We the People” platform
soon became the most popular cause ever championed on the
website.
“America is at
war with itself. It has a powerful gun lobby which influences members of
Congress so that they do not support any legislation which will curb the right
to bear arms”, said Sherwood Ross in a phone interview with the U.S. Desk on
Tuesday.
“Americans are
very fearful that somebody is going to take away their liberties. They believed
this. They believed George Bush when he said that those who attacked the United
States on 9/11 were jealous of our liberty. This is paranoia and we are led by
paranoiac leaders. Sad to say, the President of the United States is one of them
and people who are paranoid react out of fear and the President every week signs
off on the assassination. That is to say, that the killing without warrants,
without legal procedures, he signs off on these killings in the Middle East”,
Ross added.
The U.S. is harshly criticized for drone strikes authorized by President Obama in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Yemen, killing hundreds of civilians.
During a news
conference following the school massacre in Connecticut, Obama wept as he said,
“Our hearts are broken today”. Moreover, on Sunday, he travelled to Newtown to
offer sympathy to the families of the victims of the mass shooting and indicated
that the U.S. has failed to keep its children safe.
“The President,
of course, went to Newtown and he made a speech and he is under tremendous
public pressure to take action. But, what kind of action will he take and how
sincere can he be when he himself is responsible for the assassination of
innocent people around the world?” added Ross.
Washington claims CIA assassination drones overseas only target “suspected militants” but local and international reports say civilians are the main victims of such attacks.
ISH/ARA