Years ago a high school friend of mine in The Netherlands decided he would not come to visit me as long as George W. Bush was president. His decision was purely political. Although today many of my friends and family members have concerns about our political state of affairs as well, their predominant objection to coming over here concerns security. They are seriously worried about their safety. No wonder, because since the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newton, Connecticut, on Dec. 14, 2012, our country experienced 2,181 additional mass shootings spread out over 35 different states. The world has noticed, and, especially after the most recent violent events, is expressing its concerns.
On August 7, Amnesty International issued a warning about travel to the U.S. amid "high levels of gun violence." The organization warned travelers and visitors to the United States to "exercise extreme caution due to rampant gun violence, which has become so prevalent in the US that it amounts to a human rights crisis." Travelers to the United States should remain cautious that the country does not adequately protect people's right to be safe, regardless of who they might be. People in the United States cannot reasonably expect to be free from harm - a guarantee of not being shot is impossible," said Ernest Coverson, campaign manager for the End Gun Violence Campaign at Amnesty International USA. "Depending on the traveler's gender identity, race, country of origin, ethnic background, or sexual orientation, they may be at higher risk of being targeted with gun violence, and should plan accordingly," the advisory reads. As frequent travelers, we are used to observing travel warnings and advisories issued by our own State Department. However, we tend to think these refer mostly to developing countries. We certainly did not expect to see one issued about ourselves.
The news headlines focusing on what seems to have become routine events came from everywhere: "US in the midst of a white nationalist terrorism crisis," (Sydney Morning Herald). "Is the US Facing a White Nationalist Terrorism Crisis?" (Foreign Policy). "Global Headlines Agree U.S. Has a White Supremacy Problem," (The Forward). "White nationalism terrorism." "America's New Civil War." "Domestic terrorists devastate the U.S.." "Mass shootings: The most American way to kill and die," (Aljazeera). "El Paso and Dayton: Two mass shootings - will anything change?"(The Loudest Voice). Richard Madan, covering the Washington bureau for Canada's CTV News, wrapped it up this way: "It's very difficult for a lot of Canadians to understand how the Second Amendment can be politicized, or the way it's used to justify people buying guns. In Canada, if two people get shot, that will be national news. If two people get shot in the U.S., that may make it into the local newspaper, but not on the front page."
Note: During the 72 hours leading up to when I sat down to write this, 81 people were killed by guns in our country...
Government agencies issued warnings as well. Uruguay's Foreign Ministry warned about: "growing indiscriminate violence" in the U.S.. Venezuela's foreign minister warned its citizens to avoid gatherings where mass shootings might occur. And the Japanese Consul in Detroit published an alert that said Japanese nationals "should be aware of the potential for gunfire incidents everywhere in the United States," which he described as a "gun society."
The New York Times quoted readers' comments, illustrative of what many outside of our country are thinking: "Living near Paris, I just wake up and cringe at what is happening in my country of birth. I won't be going back where I'm from too soon," (Linda Thalman near Paris). "Every time I read about a shooting in the U.S. I wonder if the Americans know how the world outside works, because, I think, if they did they would finally realize how crazy their society is. And then they would finally say that simple phrase that started so many revolutions in history: That's enough," (Flavio Finco, Padua, Italy). "My perspective as a retired psychotherapist and counselor, living happily in a very safe and civilized Europe, reveals a crumbling giant I have honored and respected as it flails and sinks deeper into irrelevance around the world,"(Richard Baily, Ferragudo, Portugal). (Aidan Gardener, "Readers Around the World look at Mass Shootings in the U.S. and Ask, Why Are You Surprised?" The New York Times, Aug. 6, 2019).
Josef Janning, senior policy fellow at the European Council of Foreign Relations, based in Berlin, reflected this way: "People are used to the fact that in the United States, every month, a lot of people are killed by someone for no apparent reason. And now it comes together with this trend in Western society of gut-feeling, tribal politics that inflames people rather than educate them."
President Trump, meanwhile, when apprised of travel warnings issued against the U.S. because of gun violence, warned: "We are a very reciprocal nation with me at the head. When somebody does something negative to us in terms of a country, we do it to them." Sad!
The world looks at us for guidance, but it has become increasingly unsettled by what it sees. To change that perception, we need to change the reality on the ground, which requires mature leadership. To finally begin that process, we need to first find that at the top.
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