TheWiseOldFart

  Op-ed by TheWiseOldFart. I have been writing for newspapers, online publications, and my own blog, “TheWiseOldFart,” for more than 12 years. I haven’t checked, but I have no doubt that I have written more articles about mass shootings and gun violence than any other subject with the exception of America’s biggest enemy, Donald Trump. I am angry, and disgusted that nothing has been done in Washington to ease the pain and fear of millions of our nation’s people. This week has been like any other week in America. Normal men, women, and children have been going about their lives without any idea that this might be their last day on earth, or they might be seriously injured by a bullet from a weapon of mass destruction. Over the Father’s Day weekend and celebrations on Juneteenth 50 Americans were shot and several lives were lost. The most recent assault on our freedom happened on Friday, June 21, in Fordyce, Arkansas.. Three persons were killed and 10 injured at a grocery store a

Op-ed by TheWiseOldFart   Domestic terrorism is the greatest danger to life in America today. Our worthless and corrupt government refuses to take any action against the NRA gun lobby, because campaign donations are more important to them than human life.   This is one major issue which could be solved in a few days, but profits for gun manuf acturers and gun sellers take priority over the safety of the American people.    This week all d oubt was removed about which lobby owns the legislative and judicial branches of our government. Republicans in the House and Senate   ignored a number of mass shootings. In Washington, the Supreme Court struck down a law banning bump stocks. Bowing to the fascist and heartless NRA is a clear statement from right-wing politicians : “you don’t matter to us.”   SENATE REPUBLICANS SINK TO A NEW LOW   Senate Democrats attempted to pass a law which would override the decision by a right-wing biased C ourt. The law would have  banned an accessory for

Op-ed by TheWiseOldFart Hypocrisy: the practice of claiming to have moral standards or beliefs to which one's own behavior does not conform; pretense. Another day in America, another mass shooting, and another day proving that domestic terrorism is the greatest danger to the American people and no one cares. Over the weekend there was a huge mass shooting in Akron, Ohio. One person died and 24 were injured. The usual displays of shock, anger, and sympathy followed in the aftermath. As usual, nothing will change, and nothing will be considered in congress to stem the tide of growing gun violence in America. RELIGIOUS LEADERS MUST END THEIR HIPOCRATIC POLICIES After the carnage in Akron, one minister called for everyone to “lay down their guns.” However, Christian religious leaders continue to support right-wing politicians who are joined with the NRA gun lobby in preventing any changes to our gun laws. “Profit Before People” is the motto of all politicians who pretend to be “Republi

Op-ed by TheWiseOldFart I am so f**king tired of writing about domestic terrorism. I am even more disgusted and angry with our government. This threat to the American people can be stopped immediately, but too many of our elected officials are owned by the NRA gun lobby. Once again, profit comes before people. Today, in Chester, Pennsylvania, a disgruntled employee walked into his former place of employment at 8:30 a.m. and shot five people: two of them are in the morgue. His weapon of choice: a semi-automatic handgun. The perp was arrested as he attempted to flee the scene of the massacre. THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA IS THE MOST DANGEROUS COUNTRY IN THE WORLD The above is not an exaggeration. With more mass shootings each year than days on the calendar, and the fact that anyone can purchase these deadly weapons of mass destruction any time in any city in America, makes it unsafe to leave our homes. No place is safe, including churches and schools. The families of those shot today wil

  Op-ed by TheWiseOldFart It’s not a big thing for those of us who know that domestic terrorism is the greatest danger to the American people, but it’s a bigger step than any of his predecessors were willing to take. President Biden, who values human life unlike his opposing party, signed an executive order requiring comprehensive background checks for all gun sales at Outdoor Sporting Conventions which previously allowed unrestricted sales of weapons of mass destruction. A POORLY WRITTEN AND AMBIGUOUS AMENDMENT Gun nuts and the NRA gun lobby will be screaming about “Second Amendment Rights.” Once again, I call bullshit. The safety and security of the many negate the complaints of the 10 percent of Americans who own 90 percent of all guns in America. The Second Amendment is the most ambiguous amendment in the Bill of Rights. Demands from slave owners forced several drafts of the amendment, and that fact is why it is so poorly written. The facts are clear: nothing in the Secon

  Op-ed by TheWiseOldFart According to the FBI, domestic terrorism is the greatest danger to the American people. Once again, the media is placing sensationalism ahead of the important issues to increase corporate profits. THE FOURTH ESTATE CONTINUES TO FAIL ITS PURPOSE Television “news” is placing its focus on the presidential candidates: one a hard-working President, and the other a wannabe dictator. Regardless, both are boring as hell. What should be in the headlines every day is the increasing number of mass shootings in America. 2023 was the most violent year in American history, and 2024 is poised to become more deadly. Seven years ago we were shocked by the fact that the number of mass shootings outnumbered the days on the calendar. This has become the norm in the 21 st century. AMERICA HAS EARNED THE TITLE OF “MOST DANGEROUS COUNTRY IN THE WORLD” The truth you will never hear from the media is frightening. The United States is the most dangerous country in the worl

Op-ed by TheWiseOldFart FBI Director Christopher Wray: “The greatest danger to the American people is domestic terrorism.” Director Wray informed Congress of this fact months ago, but not one of the right-wing legislators paid attention. Gun violence remains the greatest and fastest growing danger to every citizen in our nation, and the right wing continues to do nothing but offer “thoughts and prayers.” I know that the NRA gun lobby is one of the owners of those who call themselves “Republicans” today. However, they were elected to serve the needs and wishes of all Americans, and if putting an end to the growing problem of gun violence is not a priority, they have no purpose. The latest of this year’s mass shootings, which far outnumber the days on the calendar, was in Kansas City as the city celebrated the victory of the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LVIII. One person was killed and 22 injured. The average age of the victims was under the age of 16. There was no need to report thi

Op-ed by TheWiseOldFart   Domestic terrorism and the rise in mass shootings with the use of legally obtained firearms have become America’s number one danger to its people and an embarrassment for a government which continues to ignore the facts. In a recent hearing, Senator John Kennedy failed miserably in his efforts to protect his party’s choice to ignore the safety of 330 million Americans. Since 1976, the NRA began moving away from being an advocate for gun safety into a lobby to increase gun sales for gun manufacturers and gun sellers. The Republican Party eagerly accepts campaign donations from the NRA, and to show their gratitude continues to protect the NRA from any legislation which might lessen the profits of their owners. After every mass shooting, those who call themselves “Republicans” today offer their “thoughts and prayers” but do nothing. Instead of taking action, they attempt to change the subject into a discussion founded on fantasy and half-truths. On Tuesday, Decem

Op-ed by TheWiseOldFart   Ron DeSantis and his government are the most incompetent, and most hypocritical government in America. Florida has become America’s greatest disgrace over the last few years. Bowing to DeSantis’ fascist policies, the Sunshine State’s legislature continues to cost their residents millions of dollars to promote a ludicrous and hypocritical agenda. The most recent idiocy involves guns, domestic terrorism, and an obvious effort to protect themselves from the increase in gun violence expected from recent legislation. On July 1 st , DeSantis signed a bill allowing the carry of concealed weapons without a permit, adding further danger to the state’s already moronic “stand your ground law.” Immediately after signing the bill, DeSantis ordered the windows replaced on the State Capitol building at the cost to taxpayers of $61.6 million. The reason? The new windows are bulletproof. Dumb, ignorant, hypocritical, and moronic are not words capable of describing Florida’s le

  Op-ed by TheWiseOldFart   I’m old enough to remember when the news contained some positive and even uplifting stories. Of course, that was more than 50 years ago. Today’s television news would never report something which does not contain sensational stories, bringing emotions to the surface, guaranteed to increase advertising dollars. This story is not entirely about domestic terrorism and the gun violence which accompanies these tragedies. It is about a new atmosphere of anger, hatred, and violence which dominates our daily life and therefore television news. Like mass shootings, we hear about the commission of hate crimes almost daily. Before Trump was inaugurated on January 20, 2017, the Southern Poverty Law Center reported an 80 percent rise in hate crimes committed against minorities, various non-white ethnicities, non-Christians, members of the LGBTQ community, and women. In 2021 a rise of 12 percent from 2020 was recorded with 65 percent of those crimes committed for

  Op-ed by TheWiseOldFart   Over this weekend there have been multiple mass shootings in America. Tens-of-thousands of Israelis are marching in the streets as their government moves closer to fascism. The Russian military attacked a cathedral in Ukraine. Millions of Americans remain without healthcare, and the majority of our nation’s people continue to struggle financially. However, Republicans in Washington have bigger concerns. They continue to attack President Biden for his many accomplishments, they are attacking all liberals and even members of their own party. They remain desperate to find “dirt” on Hunter Biden, and they continue to admit they are the party of racism, misogyny, homophobia, anti-Semitism, and xenophobia, spreading anger, hatred, and violence in all 50 states. The safety of the American people, nor their quality of life are of little or no importance to these right-wing extremists. Nearly 100 percent of all those who claim to be “Republicans” have only one