Unless you’ve been living under a rock, there is no doubt that you’ve read about the mass shooting yesterday in San Bernardino.
And while everyone seems to be weighing in on social media, updates like: ‘Guns don’t kill people, people kill people,’ or ‘#GunControlNow,’ whatever side of the fence you’re on, this isn’t a black and white concept. Especially when reports of “possible terrorism” are added to the mix.
I did however, come across something I wanted to share. I was given permission by my friend Andrea Syrtash to share her Facebook status update. Andrea is a Canadian living in the United States. Amidst a lot of misinformation, it was refreshing to see the facts:
“Mass shootings are a sick pattern here, not a random fluke.
While Canada supports peoples’ right to bear arms (it ranks 13th in the world in terms of firearms per capita), you rarely see stories of mass shootings there.
Consider:
*Canada requires a 60-day waiting period.
There is no federally mandated waiting period in the U.S.*To own a gun in Canada, residents must take a safety course and pass both a written and a practical exam. The license expires in five years. Residents have to register restricted firearms with the RCMP Firearms Program.
In the U.S., license and registration laws vary from states to state, often with no such requirements. There is no mandatory course or exam.*Canada requires a background check that focuses on mental health and addiction. Agents are required to inform an applicant’s spouse or family before granting a license.
The U.S. requires a federal background check for all those buying guns from licensed dealers but does not require one in private transactions such as at gun shows. (Takepart.com)When will this country wake up?” – Andrea Syrtash
“By all accounts, Wednesday should have been a day of celebration for Julie Paez. The inspector with the San Bernardino County Department of Health walked into the Christmas party at the Inland Regional Center ready to receive an Employee of the Year award and spend time with her colleagues.
But the morning quickly went south. Shooters stormed into the room, opening fire on Paez and her co-workers. She was hit at least twice, according to her children.
“Love you guys. Was shot,” she texted in a group text to her family. Attached to the message, sent around 11:20 a.m., was a photo of her face as she lay on the floor.” – Los Angeles Times
Let THAT sink in.
All my thoughts and prayers go out to the families of the victims of this heinous act of violence. There are no real words of comfort during a time like this.
What’s it going to take to make a change? I don’t have the answers. These are frightening times.
