Gun-lobby in US had the last laugh when it came to the issue
of Gun Bill. In spite of President Obama’s earnest efforts to ensure that the
ongoing menace of Gun culture prevalent in US be contained, he couldn’t
convince all Senators, both Republicans and a minority of Democrats, as they
were determined to defeat it at any cost and they made it sure that it was
defeated. It needs only commonsense to surmise that those Senators who voted
against the Bill had done it to appease the National Rifles Association (NRA).
The government couldn’t garner the much needed 60 votes for
its passage, instead the bill was voted down with 54 Senators in favour and 46
against.
The irony is that as President Obama said while 90 percent
of the American citizens are in favour of controlling the Gun-lobby, it was
quiet sad that the bill couldn’t go thru in the Senate owing to the stubborn
attitude of a few Senators. As a result of the Bill not getting passed Obama
got furious over the way certain Senators voted and reminded those Senators of
the trauma, pain and sorrow, the parents, friends and relatives of 20 students
of Newton school, Sandwick, Connecticut and 6 elders who were gunned down by
Adam Lanza, a 20 year old juvenile, underwent. Gun-culture like a hydra squeezing
America of its very essence baring its tentacles and prey on its victim. It has
become common and prevalent - this gun-culture across USA - the blood-chilling
incidents of gunning down teenagers, youth, old men and women by mentally
deranged or those acting on the spur of
the moment, which could sent shivers down the spines of others.
Without taking this to account still the National Rifles
Association (NRA) with the leg-up provided by certain politicians actively
campaigning for the non-passage of the bill in the Senate.
Not because each US politician is quite aware of the dire
consequences this gun culture poses to the society as a whole, but because he
needs them in the long run especially when elections are round the corner. If
they had the security and welfare of their citizens in mind they would not have
sided with the Gun lobby. Instead they have certain ulterior motives. From the
very day Obama was sworn in as President of America, right from 2008,
Republicans had/have wasted no opportunity in putting blockades in his way. As
a result his every good intention was is thwarted by Republicans in US Congress
where Democrats are only a minority compared to the former.
With the bill getting defeated the National Rifles Association
and a few Senators could very well have the last laugh. The Gun lobby can’t
even imagine a situation of them being controlled by the govt since it would
ultimately harm their business interests.
As long as this abhorrent and reprehensible mindset prevails,
US’s Gun culture is there to stay and the Newton School Sandwick type massacres
are also there to stay. And Obama will have to learn with the filibustering
tactics of Republican members, both in Senate and Congress.
No comments:
Post a Comment