IS RACISM THE PRIMARY REASON ALTON STERLING, PHILANDO CASTILE AND FIVE DALLAS POLICE OFFICERS ARE DEAD? These murders horrify people of conscience. All too often, when shocked we look for simple answers to explain/understand complex issues. Racism is a reality not only in the US but in the other developed countries as well. It is abhorrent, pervasive and for the most part institutionalized. WHAT SEPARATES RACISM IN THE US FROM THE RACISM IN THE OTHER COUNTRIES IS THE EASY AVAILABILITY OF GUNS which promote fear that a person being approached by a police officer may be armed and ready to shoot them—and allows deranged people access to military style guns (assault rifles) that enable lethal retaliatory violence. IT IS NOT SURPRISING THAT GUNS PLAY SUCH A CENTRAL ROLE IN RACIAL VIOLENCE GIVEN THAT THE SECOND AMENDMENT CAME INTO EXISTENCE FOR ONE REASON—AND ONE REASON ONLY—TO ALLOW THE SLAVE SYSTEM TO CONTINUE WHEN THE COUNTRY WAS BEING FORMED. Slavery was the heart of the economic life of the slave states—without it their economies could not survive. The militias that existed in the colonies were used to keep the slave system in order and was based on using the despicable tactics of fear, murder and terror that would later be adopted by the Ku Klux Klan. The concern of the slave states was that the militias could be disbanded—or appropriated—once there was a country with a centralized army. To ratify the constitution 9 colonies were needed and after the convention in Philadelphia there were 8 in favor, 4 against and 1, Virginia that had not voted. The price for Virginia's ratification of the Constitution at the Richmond convention 2-years later was the Second Amendment. For a more complete discussion see "The Hidden History of the Second Amendment" Carl T. Bogus Professor of Law at Roger Williams University (see link below). Today, the total perversion and unrelenting opposition to any sane gun law by a vocal minority of pro-gun extremists led by the NRA means that virtually anyone can acquire arsenals and can be fully armed in public with any type of gun(s). In all the other countries where racism exists—surely at the same level that it exists here—citizens are not killed when they are stopped for minor traffic violations, selling CDs or cigarettes without a license nor are police officers killed in retaliation. Anyone with a conscience is sickened by the murders of innocent African Americans like Alton Sterling or Philando Castile. But, the reality is that if we did not have an armed citizenry, police officers would not have to fear that the person being approached is armed and will kill them first. In fact, 78% of suspects shot by black cops are themselves black as per ProPublica (see link below). These cannot be cast as racist killings—they are killings based on fear. Will Baton Rouge and Wisconsin and Dallas happen again? You can absolutely predict it will. Moreover, all the unity expressions from “kumbaya,” “we stand together" and "we are one and cannot be divided" are lofty inspiring heartfelt and well-spoken thoughts but they will not do a thing now to stop this horrific series of events. Further, Congress cannot pass any laws to reduce gun violence because 17 pro-gun states (read 34 senators) will NEVER allow Congress to pass new gun laws even as the epidemic increases (see link to FAIRY TALE OF A CONGRESSIONAL SOLUTION below). THE ONLY WAY FOR THE GUN VIOLENCE EPIDEMIC TO BE HALTED IS FOR PRESIDENT OBAMA TO DECLARE A STATE OF EMERGENCY. Then he can issue the unrestrained executive orders needed to halt it—executive orders he cannot issue without declaring a state of emergency. It is essential you get friends, family, people in your world to sign our petition (see below) calling on President Obama to declare a National State of Emergency for the gun violence epidemic—just as he has done during his term for the Swine Flu, the California wild fires and, with initial steps, the Zika virus. Elliot Fineman CEO - Founder National Gun Victims Action Council www.gunvictimsaction.org/donate www.gunvictimsaction.org "The Hidden History of the Second Amendment" https://www.propublica.org/article/deadly-force-in-black-and-white https://gunvictimsaction.org/news/fairy-tale-of-congressional-solution-to-gun-violence/#more-9792 https://www.change.org/p/president-obama-halt-the-gun-violence-epidemic-today-by-declaring-a-national-state-of-emergency