Identity Politics and Gun Control

Politics Against Humanity

Politics are not for the betterment of humanity. As we have evolved in the political sphere; the effects of banter from our elected officials in office, have not only cause strife in the community by way of prejudices and violence, but also people losing themselves in the belief of the political idea’s, furthermore the historic context of why the ideology harms the prosperity of humanity. To extend to the next point in the paragraph.

The reactionary nature in our world today, has flipped the proverbial “fairness and equality” on its head. One act to supporting is when fellow black students blocked white students from entering the campus grounds. “Protesters demonstrating for “safe spaces” for people of colour and LGBT students formed a human chain at a US campus, reportedly designed to stop white people getting to their classes.” (Agerholm, Independent UK, 2016) As video evidence supports the fact the pursuit of education is roadblocked, in a perversion of what equality truly demands to be.

As political agendas are being pushed on the younger generations, by the older strongholds that claim to the audience. “That we are right” This may not be seen as extreme from an outsiders perspective but it an attack on ones pursuit of education and happiness. To continue on the problems are more numerous than known.

Ostracization does not solve the problems of the community that we struggle with on a year to year basis. As the shootings that are in schools and public places have cause others to “point the finger” at an issue that doesn’t exist. From this straw-man being video-games cause violence. As evidence has been issued by an interview with Dr. Katherine Newman from NBC news.

Subrata De: So, you saw the animation. Tell me your very first impressions when you saw it.

Dr. Katherine Newman: My first impression of the animation was how well drawn it was.

This was obviously a kid with a lot of talent. It’s a tragedy that it’s been wasted in this way. But also a great deal of anger brewing inside and murderous rage that is expressing itself in ways we all find quite familiar from countless video games. This is not an original piece of artistry in that sense.   (NBC, March 2005)

As Jeff Weiss, was a student who extremely talent in animation and gaming. He was bullied and dealt with constant moving from state to state, as many other disruptions in life. Instead this incident is used as a fuel to fire a political war of attrition.  As the statement by Donald Trump, “Glorification of violence in ‘ gruesome and grisly’ video game culture is a cause of gun violence.” (Donald Trump, 2019, CBS) As this is fact checked by CBS news, only support the previous statement that a side wants to be “right”. The point of many relevant events happening in horrible ways, is that this ideology will use any and everything as to support their side as being just. As to further in on my point, to talk about the more pressing issue in today’s society. As to transit to the next point of news stations.

News stations give information based on the political sphere surrounded by the viewers being but not limited to democrat, republican, and many other stations. Independent stations can even have an intended pose to reveal truth but also have their implications implied on the event. As evidence supports during the last year.

“Sinclair Made Dozens of Local News Anchors Recite the Same Script, “The sharing of biased and false news has become all too common on social media.”“Some members of the media use their platforms to push their own personal bias.”  “This is extremely dangerous to our democracy.” (Fortin, Bromwich,2018,NY-TIMES)

As to furthermore state, this info is not given in a manner that invokes trust from the American citizen. This causes high skepticism, as a damned if you do and a damned if you don’t. People might ask, how are these seen as extreme even though the groups are not committing violence or violating any natural rights. People have been violated for their trust and peace, in the seats our elected officials hold. As Trump used this information, to further convince others of fake or false news stories. “So funny to watch Fake News Networks, among the most dishonest groups of people I have ever dealt with, criticize Sinclair Broadcasting for being biased. Sinclair is far superior to CNN and even more Fake NBC, which is a total joke.” (Twitter, Apr, 2, 2018)  The casualties of this information war are what seen as extreme, as people become highly doubtful of what the truth is.

To not lose focus, the next point being the looking at google and typing in the phase “man beaten up over supporting trump”, as there is so much evidence of not only trump supporters being beaten, but info being used in the “agenda fire” and that other people are beaten up who do not support trump. To defend your belief with violence, is not only morally and irredeemably wrong. This goes against the stating thought of listening and hearing others out. Its a desire to what to be so right that it is seen as lust for power over another beings natural rights. To elude on these natural rights in the next viewing on why people lose their identity and become their political belief.

Giving a definition of what these natural rights are, as simple as follows Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness. The political and social turmoil we live in has become more and more terrible over the periods of time. As stated in the guardian, we are faced with separation rather unity. “For the first time in US history, white Americans are faced with the prospect of becoming a minority in their “own country.”(March, 2018, Magee) These issues get to a point to where the individual is no longer the themselves, they are apart of the mob. As why people say America is a democracy, when really its a republic. Democracy follows the concept of the people.

Having power directly in control of the people can be abused severely as previously stated as being mob rule mentality. As evident in this next piece of the article, “Tellingly, a 2012 study showed that more than half of white Americans believe that “whites have replaced blacks as the ‘primary victims of discrimination’.” (March, 2018, Magee) In doing so replacing who is considered victim of discrimination, causes a sense that groups need to be the right one. No longer are diverse, or inclusive of others. Rather it causes an, us-versus-them mentality. As many races, genders and sexual orientated individuals feels the need to voice their opinion due to feeling bullied and discriminated. America used to be the concept that transcends and unites all the country’s groups under one banner. In division of these groups, information can be controlled and distributed according to the beliefs of the group. As we  drive to the next point of historical evidence being stated of how abused of belief and others individuality.

History has emulated the problems of why ideologies are used to gain an advantage over the natural rights of other people. During the time of the Levellers, after the English Civil War (1642 – 1648). There was a reformation period after Charles The First was killed. Where multiple parties would vie for power in the commonwealth of England. As the major parties during the time, as such; the Monarchy, the Puritans, and the Grandees, and the Aristocracy, and finally the Diggers. These Factions would battle over many ideals and information. Levellers during the time, were advocates for many liberties and rights that Americans take granted for. To state why the pool for reason was tainted, was due to printing press during the time being used by many people during the time, to spread influence over others.  As to relate to modern life, we deal with the constant information splurge from many outlets and any off topic outlets. Evidence being the Joker movie, as the movie has been considered to support ideals that harm others, by mongering this fear to the public that they may to harm by people who are romantically inept. As this statement from vice media. “We need to reckon with how closely Todd Phillips’s villain mirrors real-life mass shooters, and the poisonous ideologies they subscribe to. (Sept, 16, 2019) As this movie is just a movie, interpretation is up to the person. This movie is used as political fuel to point out people who may harm others or be a threat to the nation as a whole. As during the fight for the commonwealth of England, Information was constantly propestised by other groups as the public considered the levellers to be a threat to the biblical authority of the Grandees and Aristocracy. Their ideas were to be consider apart of the communist minded Diggers.

In doing so, historically in the past and in our present we must be wary of what we listen, read and watch in our daily time, as our media is filled with half truths and fuels to light unneeded fires in the hearts of young and old of America. We as Americans, must search for the truth and nothing but the truth no matter the ugliness of it. We must also treat these horrible events such as, mass shootings and violent fights over candidates, as what we must not do. History is hear for the reason of what we must not repeat the mistakes of our forefathers. We must and shall stand as America.

Citations used for Evidence

• Harriet Agerholm @HarrietAgerholm. “Protesters Form Human Chain to ‘Block White Students’ in US.” The Independent, Independent Digital News and Media, 27 Oct. 2016, https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/student-protesters-campaigning-safe-spaces-block-white-students-from-attending-classes-racism-a7383676.html.
• O’Kane, Caitlin. “Playing Video Games Does Not Make You a Mass Shooter, Expert Says.” CBS News, CBS Interactive, 9 Aug. 2019, https://www.cbsnews.com/news/do-video-games-cause-violence-expert-says-playing-violent-video-games-does-not-make-you-a-mass-shooter/.
• De, Subrata. “School Shooter Followed Video Game-like ‘Script’.” NBCNews.com, NBCUniversal News Group, 25 Mar. 2005, http://www.nbcnews.com/id/7288381/ns/us_news-crime_and_courts/t/school-shooter-followed-video-game-like-script/#.XbC1aOhKiUm.
• Fortin, Jacey, and Jonah Engel Bromwich. “Sinclair Made Dozens of Local News Anchors Recite the Same Script.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 2 Apr. 2018, https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/02/business/media/sinclair-news-anchors-script.html.
• “How America’s Identity Politics Went from Inclusion to Division.” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 1 Mar. 2018, https://www.theguardian.com/society/2018/mar/01/how-americas-identity-politics-went-from-inclusion-to-division.
• Berman, Sheri. “Why Identity Politics Benefits the Right More than the Left | Sheri Berman.” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 14 July 2018, https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/jul/14/identity-politics-right-left-trump-racism.
• Makalintal, Bettina. “Apparently, After All That Drama, ‘Joker’ Is Terrible.” Vice, 4 Oct. 2019, https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/a354wj/joker-todd-phillip-movie-2019-reviews.
• Ransome, Noel. “’Joker’ Is a Terrifyingly Realistic Window Into White Terrorism.” Vice, 16 Sept. 2019, https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/ne877m/joker-is-a-terrifyingly-realistic-window-into-white-terrorism?utm_source=stylizedembed_vice.com&utm_campaign=a354wj&site=vice.
• The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. “Leveler.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 17 Mar. 2016, https://www.britannica.com/event/Leveler-English-history.