Author: R J Adams

Once again the U.S. Senate fails to pass legislation restricting gun ownership in America, despite the worst mass shooting in U.S. history last week, in Orlando Florida, when fifty people were killed and large numbers wounded.^[1]

The U.S. government is a disgrace to the country it’s supposed to serve, but let’s be frank the American people continue to vote for them, and keep them in power, despite protestations from would-be gun control proponents.

Not only is the U.S. government a disgrace to it’s nation, it’s a disgrace to the rest of the world it purports to lead. The behaviour of this, and past, administrations has led to the violence, terrorism, death and suffering presently being experienced throughout the planet. American empire-building, it’s virtual annexation of much of the Middle East over the last five decades, has not only failed miserably to produce anything positive, but gave birth to al Qaeda, Islamic State, and many of the other Islamic extremist factions targeting the West today.

America pretends to cloak it’s warmongering activities under the guise of “spreading democracy”. This is a downright lie. What the U.S. is attempting to do, and failing utterly – but at an incalculable cost in human lives – is spread Americanism by annihilating the various cultures that have formed over thousands of years on this planet.

If the warmongers of the Pentagon had their way the world would be covered in U.S. trade mark companies churning out the same old boring stuff of which America is composed today. The cultural identities of once separate nations would be replaced by a capitalist carpet of tat, and its government would control the world, under the auspices of corpocracy.

If America is a prime example of democracy, then God help democracy. The only democratic thing in America today is the name of one of its totally un-democratic political parties. The United States is a plutocracy. Its voting system is a sham, made more obvious by the latest ‘bring on the clowns’ exhibition laughingly called the, ‘presidential election’.

It’s plain to see what this once proud and dignified nation has become, yet world leaders still doff their caps in mock deference to its presidents, and look the other way as U.S. drones kill innocent kids in Pakistan, just as they did over the U.S. war crimes in Iraq, the renditions and barbaric acts of torture carried out in the name of ‘enduring freedom’.

Isn’t it time this warmongering, violent, country – whose people worship their weapons of mass murder, and whose government daily commits war crimes that would see any other national leader hauled before the International Criminal Court – is shunned by the world community?

Why do we in the West continue to suffer the backlash from American war crimes? The United States makes much of not giving a damn about how the rest of the world sees it. Isn’t it about time we put that to the test and said enough is enough?

Maybe one European statesman is of a similar opinion. Only this week, German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, warned NATO [read: America] about warmongering in the Baltic:

…What we should not do now, however, is further inflame the situation with loud sabre-rattling and war cries. Anyone who believes that symbolic tank parades on the Alliance’s eastern border will increase security is wrong. We would be well advised not to deliver up any excuses for a new, old confrontation.

It would be fatal now to focus exclusively on military aspects and to look for salvation solely from a policy of deterrence. After all, history teaches us that, alongside the common will to ensure defence readiness, there must always also be a readiness to engage in dialogue and cooperation. And that is why we also need to talk more with our partners again about the benefits of disarmament and arms control for security in Europe…

…Over 70 years of peace in Europe, at least without a major war on European soil, are our most valuable treasure.

For my part, I will do all I can to ensure that it is not placed in jeopardy. Our maxim must be this: as much security as necessary, and as much dialogue and cooperation as possible.”^[2]

America showed its contempt for such talk by its silence on the subject.

Let them play with their automatic weapons. Let them play war games with the military they think so highly of, despite that military committing gross atrocities everywhere it stamps its boots.

But leave the rest of us the hell out of it. It’s time the people of Europe told their leaders we don’t need the United States anymore. It’s an embarrassment.

Go away, America. Come back when you’ve grown up.

^{[1] “Senate fails to pass new gun control restrictions in wake of Orlando shooting” Guardian, June 20th 2016}

^{[2] “Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier on relations between NATO and Russia” German Federal Foriegn Office, June 19th 2016}

Today, in Britain, a Member of Parliament was murdered. Forty-one year old Jo Cox, a Labour MP for the Yorkshire constituency of Batley and Spen, was gunned down, then repeatedly stabbed, as she left her local office. It has been said that the man who committed this crime shouted, “Britain First,” as he killed her.

Sparrow Chat is no friend of politicians, but Jo Cox wasn’t of the usual breed. She actually cared, and not just about those she represented. She had compassion for the whole human race, a rarity indeed in today’s politicians.

Shootings are virtually unheard of in Britain. Witnesses described the gun as either ‘very old’ or ‘homemade’. Hand guns have been banned for many years. Incalculable numbers of lives have been saved because of that law.

Britain is not America, and guns are considered only weapons of destruction, not to be glorified but avoided and shunned at all costs. The British do not have a diseased mindset about firearms, like so many Americans. Shootings are commonplace in America. Most never make the headlines. The disease is covered up, except when it explodes into mass murder such as occurred this week in Orlando.

When news of Jo Cox’s assassination reaches the United States one can be sure the ‘gun lobby’ will react as they always do when a shooting occurs in their own country: “if she’d only carried a gun, she could have defended herself,”; “if only the bystanders had been allowed to ‘pack heat’ (Americans gun owners adore that phrase, it makes them feel macho) they might have saved her.”

It’s a disease of the mind; a sickness that has spread over America like an epidemic. It’s to be hoped the ‘American disease’ will never take hold in Britain.

Undoubtedly, Mrs Cox’s killer was unhinged. He was possibly a supporter of the far right-wing party, ‘Britain First’, that believes Britain should shun the European Union, Islam should be banned in the U.K.(Donald Trump?), the death penalty re-introduced for paedophiles, terrorists and murderers, the BBC abolished, introduction of ‘chain gangs’ for prisoners, new laws guaranteeing citizens the right to protect their own homes (shades of “Stand Your Ground”?), and other nefarious ideals.

Jo Cox believed Britain’s place was in Europe. With a referendum on whether the nation should remain in, or leave, the E.U. only a week away, she was likely murdered for holding that view.

Jo Cox’s death could probably have been avoided. This forthcoming referendum should never have been proposed in the first place. It was voiced by the British prime minister, David Cameron, as a means of securing votes to ensure his election victory in 2010. Had he been in favour of leaving Europe, it might have been more comprehensible. As it was, when campaigning to be leader of the nation, he turned the decision over to the general public, even while he, himself, firmly believed it was best for the country to retain its membership. It’s rather like a wartime general saying to his troops, “Well, lads, I’m in favour of engaging the enemy – but I’ll leave it up to you.”

The result has been a long and bitter round of infighting between politicians on the “Remain” side, and those dedicated to the “Leave” campaign (many of the latter, it must be said, spurred on by the possibility of achieving greater political power by adopting the stance). The media has, of course, whipped up both sides to a frenzy and forced the public to take sides as though the whole thing was a political football match (which, in many respects, it is).

Cameron’s self-centred, promise of a referendum on Europe should he be elected, and proffered only to boost his chances of becoming prime minister, has served to generate ill-informed passions and hatreds that may well have indirectly contributed to the foul assassination of Jo Cox this afternoon.

One can only wonder if Mister Cameron has a conscience.

Jo Cox was a rare breed of politician. The nation couldn’t afford to lose her – unlike many who take on the job. She’ll be sorely missed, not least by her husband and two small children.

An isolated case of the ‘American disease’ reared its evil head in Britain today. Let us hope there’s not another like it for a very long time.

Once again the U.S. media switches rapidly to ‘hysteria mode’ as yet another mass shooting occurs. This time it’s in Orlando, Florida. For a moment, there almost seemed a hint of celebration from some, as the total killed becomes a new record for America – the most ever slaughtered in a single mass shooting, possibly since records began.

It’s a great excuse to bandy about the emotive word, “terrorism”, and it may well have set another record, for the most used word on U.S. television in a single half-hour segment.

It’s strange how words can be changed to suit the mood. Surely anyone who points a loaded gun at another is guilty of terrorism. Who wouldn’t be “terrified” to be on the receiving end of such an act of potential violence? But now, it means something much more narrowly defined – the act of a person, or persons, acting on behalf of, or at the behest of, a politico/religious organization generally of Middle Eastern origin.

We were told by half a dozen reporters, local Orlando dignitaries, politicians, the police, and eventually, the President himself, that it’s vital to discover whether this man acted alone, or was part of a “terrorist plot”,

Why? Why is that the factor of over-riding importance in this disgusting affair? Will it bring the dead back to life? Will it make the despicable act of mass murder of innocents anymore acceptable if this man is found to have been perusing Islamic State websites?

It’s likely the murderer did peruse such sites, but it doesn’t make him a ‘terrorist’ in the sense of working for I.S., or al Qaeda, or any other Muslim fundamentalist organization. He had a grudge against gay people; that’s why he chose a gay bar.

One more sad result of this mass shooting in Orlando is that only two days earlier, less than twenty minutes from the scene of this latest carnage, a young singer, Christina Grimmie, was senselessly gunned down as she was signing autographs after a concert. Her death, at the age of twenty-four and with a promising career ahead of her, has been totally eclipsed by this latest tragedy.

Two major shootings in two days is rapidly becoming a norm in America. Most don’t make headlines anymore.

This one did. But then, it’s one for the record books – until another surpasses it.

Orlando, Florida, was once known throughout the world as the home of Disney World. Now it’s earning a less enviable reputation.

^{[1] “Orlando gay nightclub shooting: 50 killed, suspect is Omar Mateen” BBC, June 12th 2016}

^{[2] “Former Voice contestant Christina Grimmie shot dead in Orlando” BBC, 11th June 2016}