Gun Violence isn't our problem... We are.

A few days ago while listening to NPR on my morning commute I heard a tragic but at the same time wonderful interview with Tito Anchondo, the brother of Andre and Jordan Anchondo who where murdered in the El-Paso shooting while shielding their 2-month-old baby, Paul, who was grazed by a bullet but survived the shooting.

I was going to find that interview and write a post about it because despite the tragedy Tito, who was clearly broken up, was very inspiring with the way he has chosen to not let this tragedy turn him bitter and cynical. He has every right to have felt that way; to be angery and blame full but he wasn't. He certainly puts the rest of us humans to shame with our fabricated outrage over events we couldn't even imagine what it must feel like to be an actual part of.

But I can't write that post because I can't find the NPR interview. NPR chopped it up and put their own spin on it; they cut out a lot Tito's comments and instead made it an interview between two of NPRs anchors talking about Tito rather than to him.

Here is the transcript and the intro and what Tito has to say about his mother:

npr

GREENE: Yeah, we paid a visit - yesterday we were at this auto body shop a couple of miles from here in downtown. We were meeting Tito Anchondo. He lost two family members at that Walmart, both his brother Andre and Andre's wife Jordan. Their 2-month-old baby was with him at the Walmart. He survived. When I met Tito yesterday, he was actually working on cars at the shop. It's only been three days, but he said the family just can't afford to close the business.

TITO ANCHONDO: I mean, we'd like to stop. We'd like a moment. But for somebody who's, you know, self-employed like myself and my dad, it's - there's no possibility.

ANCHONDO ON SEEING HIS MOM: I don't even want to go and see her because everybody keeps telling me that I look like - just like my brother. And I don't want her to even look at me 'cause I don't want her to remember my brother's face when - it's tough, guys. It's really, really tough.

There was a lot more to the story with Tito talking about his Bother, hid father, the now offend baby and the other kid(s) Tito's brother adopted.

At some point the conversation took a political turn. Which is fine its the order of the day:

GREENE: And Rachel, you understand this. I went into this conversation thinking I wasn't going to bring up politics with this family at all. It just felt insensitive. But then Tito, pretty early on, told me that he's really happy that President Trump is coming here.

Then what is reported by NPR in this link has no bases in reality compared to the interview I heard.

MARTIN: How come?

GREENE: Well, I mean, he said his late brother supported the president. He said he supports the president, but that he's really grappled a lot with some of the racist things that President Trump has said. And he's hoping to get some face time with the president to challenge him on some of that.

That is not at all what Tito said; he was very conciliatory and even handed, it is what inspired me to want to right a post about Tito. He spoke about how he understands why some people don't aprove of some of the things the President has said in the past, but that he personal does not agree the president is inciting violence or being racist. He wasn't blaming anyone for the tragedy (he didn't even mention the gunman) and he expressed a desire to speak with the president so he could tell him about their pain and gadge in prison if the President is the man Tito thinks he is. Nothing about "grappling a lot with some of the racist things that President Trump has said."

Here is some (only some) of what Tito actually said that I found in another NPR article. (I also encourage people to read the rest of the article cause it has more about the Anchondo family)

Regarding possibly racist comments made by the President...

"I can see why people would believe that," Tito says. "And yes, maybe he said things in bad taste. But I think people are misconstruing President Trump's ideas."

Tito Anchondo says his family has always been Republican conservatives. "My brother was very supportive of Trump," he said, adding that he would like to sit down with the president and tell him about their pain.

"I want to see his reaction in person," he said. "I want to see if he's genuine and see if my political views are right or wrong. And see if he feels maybe some kind of remorse for statements that he's made. I just want to have a human-to-human talk with him and see how he feels."

NPR

A man certainly in conflict after a tragic event befell his family, which is understandable. But not at all what NPR tried to turn it into in the original web transcript of the interview.


But it apparently gets worse. Tito did get his chance to meet the President; but the bitter people in the world (those who have no right to be bitter in the face of a man like Tito Anchondo) had to $hit all over the one thing he asked for in the wake of his Brothers and Sister-in-laws death.

The uncle of a 2-month-old boy whose parents were killed in the El Paso mass shooting is defending a photo that shows first lady Melania Trump holding the baby while President Donald Trump smiles and gives a thumbs-up gesture.

The photo was released on Twitter by the first lady’s office and drew backlash from some who thought it reflected a lack of empathy and politicized the shootings.

time

Apparently Tito got his answer on whether or not the president was being genuine; I wonder if he feels the same about the News Media?

Tito Anchondo, the uncle of baby Paul Anchondo, told The Associated Press on Friday that Trump “was just there to give his condolences and he was just being a human being.” He previously told NPR that he and his brother were Trump supporters.

“Is it that hard to try and understand that a family is trying to not be sad at a moment like this?” said Anchondo, who also appears in the photo along with his sister. “We’re trying to be as strong as we can. … My brother is gone.”

The tragic events of the last few weeks certainly does show that we have a major problem in this country; a problem that might have the ability to do what our enemies foreign and domestic have not been able to do in 243 years. ... and it is not Gun Violence.

Respect for human life due to gender confusion and the resulting breakdown of the nuclear Family which is Natural by proxy has led us to this point in time...… there are no defined roles and those roles that had been refined over many epochs are today being systematiclly destroyed one by one by one by fiscally empowered small special interest groups.

It all starts and ends for Humanity with...."No Women and No Children"... those 2 facets of Humanities existance are of paramount primary and primal importance......we need to rewind to the point in time where the weaponised aspects of our ow Society were used to attack the Nuclear Family.

We need to stop the erosion of the Nuclear Family and do not believe the PROPOGANDA that wants you to think its to late to do that....the MASSES do not agree with the things that we have seen done to our own Society by fiscally empowered small special interest groups who have weaponised laws and politics to benefit themselves and their impacts.....don't believe them....believe your neighbor and your Friends and you other daily contacts....because this is a war brought upon Global Societies that supported the Nuclear Family which brings growth and prosperity and good health to everyone including the Planet.

a reply to: DanDanDat

Thank you for this. Very thoughtful and respectful and most of all thank you for the love that shines through. I appreciate the love you express the most.

I've been watching and following this also, and it both hurts my heart and makes my heart sing. The media spin is absolutely despicable and appalling. Such absolute disrespect and outright deceit. But the uncle is a giant among men, and makes me so proud and so heartened that there are still people with such strength and honor in the worst of times.

And I loved the picture of Melania holding the baby. I'm sure that brought much comfort and encouragement to the family and they will cherish this forever.

a reply to: DanDanDat

Yes, indeed, you have a major problem in your country - and it are not the media. The real problem are folks like you whom keep pointing to everything and everybody as the root cause but to the real root cause. The root cause are the guns, the guns and the guns. Not the people that hold the guns: we have people here in my country, and quite a lot of them, but they are not allowed to carry a gun. Period.

Works like a charm.

a reply to: DanDanDat

it's a shame that the idiot news couldn't be honest about this man's interview. But they have orders and a job they get paid to do. Orchestrate the agenda by any means necessary.

originally posted by: ForteanOrg
a reply to: DanDanDat

Yes, indeed, you have a major problem in your country - and it are not the media. The real problem are folks like you whom keep pointing to everything and everybody as the root cause but to the real root cause. The root cause are the guns, the guns and the guns. Not the people that hold the guns: we have people here in my country, and quite a lot of them, but they are not allowed to carry a gun. Period.

Works like a shine.

how many times have you been to the US and how long did you stay?

a reply to: network dude

You're making my point here: pointing at everything and anything you can think of BUT the root cause. Again, the root cause are the guns, the guns and the guns. Without the guns - no option to shoot. Without the option to shoot, most of the roughly 100 people that were killed by guns in the US today would still be alive.

I don't mind if you insist on allowing every single idiot to shoot at innocent people, it are your Laws, it is your country. But don't start moaning about the media, or that Trump is the cause (or not, whatever side you're on). The root cause are the guns, the guns and the guns.

a reply to: ForteanOrg

I didn't say anything about the "people that hold the guns"; so its clear you didn't even read what I wrote. But your arrogance, your desire to show up others, caused you to try and derail a thread rather than contribute to it. That is the problem I am referring too. It hurts a lot more people than gun violence. Be a part of ending it don't add to it.

a reply to: ForteanOrg

The root cause are the guns, the guns and the guns.

You're wasting your time.

Even by pointing out the bleedin obvious, Americans will tell you it is anything else but the guns.

a reply to: alldaylong

the root cause or gun violence might be access to guns. We have had over 100 threads on that topic in the last few day. Why do you feel the need to start a new one in a thread with a different subject?

a reply to: DanDanDat

Why do you feel the need to start a new one in a thread with a different subject?

What the bloody hell are you talking about ?

I have just posted a reply to a previous post on this thread.

Please explain how i have in your words " Started A New One " ?

Sounds like you have been on the happy juice.

originally posted by: alldaylong
a reply to: DanDanDat

Why do you feel the need to start a new one in a thread with a different subject?

What the bloody hell are you talking about ?

I have just posted a reply to a previous post on this thread.

Please explain how i have in your words " Started A New One " ?

Sounds like you have been on the happy juice.

The topic you seem to want to discuss is "the root cause of gun violence". We have many threads on that topic going on right now; you could join those topics if that is what you want to discuss.

This thread however is not about "the root cause of gun violence" nothing in my op even attempted to ask or answer that question. The topic of this thread is the crappy way we humans treat each other .... for example trying to derail other people's conversation and insulting them with no real reason to do so ... what you are doing here. This thread is about a man who chose not act in this childish manner, even when he would have been justified to do so. He is showing the rest of us the proper way to act in a civil society... while you on the other hand have demonstrated the opposite. And finally this tread is about how powerful forces like the news media are actively trying to agitate people.

Again if you want to talk about the root cause of gun violence I invite you to join the many conversations on the subjects. If you want to discuss the topics in this thread I am interested in what you have to add ... but do beg that you conduct yourself with more decorum.

a reply to: DanDanDat

I think it is best to ignore you.

In your mind, replying to a particular point made in a post is in fact starting a new topic.

a reply to: alldaylong

I can't stop you from ignoring me; you have been ignoring me since your first reply. But when your ready to expend the conversation past one way arguments ill be more than willing to listen to what you have to add.

originally posted by: Boadicea
a reply to: DanDanDat

Thank you for this. Very thoughtful and respectful and most of all thank you for the love that shines through. I appreciate the love you express the most.

I've been watching and following this also, and it both hurts my heart and makes my heart sing. The media spin is absolutely despicable and appalling. Such absolute disrespect and outright deceit. But the uncle is a giant among men, and makes me so proud and so heartened that there are still people with such strength and honor in the worst of times.

And I loved the picture of Melania holding the baby. I'm sure that brought much comfort and encouragement to the family and they will cherish this forever.

The family does look like they are enjoying their time with the first family. They certainly know how to show strength in the face of tragedy.

a reply to: DanDanDat

Gun violence has killed 100 people today in the US. If being opposed to guns makes me arrogant in your eyes, than I will wear that label with pride: in that case I'm a VERY arrogant bastard. Of course I read your OP, and it is exacty the deadly venom in it that triggered me. Read your own last paragraph, then tell me once more that your posting was not related to gun violence.

originally posted by: ForteanOrg
a reply to: DanDanDat

Gun violence has killed 100 people today in the US.

Well, yes and no. Because if we break those numbers down into murder vs suicide rates, we find that most of those deaths were self-inflicted:

In 2017, gun deaths reached their highest level since 1968 with 39,773 deaths by firearm, of which 23,854 were by suicide and 14,542 were homicides. The rate of firearm deaths per 100,000 people rose from 10.3 per 100,000 in 1999 to 12 per 100,000 in 2017, with 109 people dying per day.

Source
So more than half of those deaths -- virtually 61%, so almost 2/3 -- are at one's own hand. That is not the gun "violence" that we are speaking of here, is it? Rather, we're actually looking at about 40 homocides by gun violence per day.

Unless you think that banning guns would stop people from killing themselves, which I very much doubt, you have grossly over-inflated the numbers for cheap political points.

And in the process shown a complete lack of respect or compassion for the pain and suffering which led those to suicide. But, of course, you've shown the same complete lack of respect and compassion for this family's pain and suffering as well.

If being opposed to guns makes me arrogant in your eyes, than I will wear that label with pride: in that case I'm a VERY arrogant bastard.

Not to speak for the OP -- only myself -- being opposed to guns doesn't make you arrogant in and of itself. The problem I see is that you only seem to oppose guns, as if they kill all by themselves, and as if they are the only means by which to kill. Cain didn't have a gun but he still managed to kill Abel... They dudes who used trucks to mow down folks on sidewalks didn't need guns to kill masses... A few psychos have used knives as well, including one just a couple days ago who killed two women in front of a cop in broad daylight on a public street...

Do you oppose only violence by guns? Or do you oppose all violence? There is a big difference. We cannot ban every possible deadly weapon. It's impossible. And people who want to commit violence are going to find a way. Those are the root causes that need to be addressed if we want to address violence itself.

Of course I read your OP, and it is exacty the deadly venom in it that triggered me. Read your own last paragraph, then tell me once more that your posting was not related to gun violence.

We'll read it together. Here is the OP's last paragraph:

The tragic events of the last few weeks certainly does show that we have a major problem in this country; a problem that might have the ability to do what our enemies foreign and domestic have not been able to do in 243 years. ... and it is not Gun Violence.

Show me the venom. I'm not seeing it. "Tragic events" -- no venom there. "Certainly does show..." -- no venom there. "Major problem..." -- no venom there. I see concern, sadness, observation -- that's not venom.

There is one and only one reason to be concerned about gun violence AND ALL VIOLENCE and that is for the pain, suffering and hardship it causes, both for the direct victims and for those left behind. The OP is all about love and compassion and respect for this family left behind. You have shown none. Just like the media.

And it is exactly this absence of respect, compassion and love for people which is the problem. It is the root cause of gun violence and all violence. It is the root cause of a pisspoor Fourth Estate which incites and instigates rather than inform and educate. And it is the reason that we cannot properly address the root problems that result in violence.

Do be careful up there on your high horse... it is quite a fall back to earth.

a reply to: ForteanOrg

ForteanOrg, being opposed to guns does not make you arrogant, in my eyes or anyone else's who is thinking rationally. It is a very reasonable position to have.

However the topic of my OP is not guns nor is it the opposition or acceptances of guns. In relation to gun violence the topic of my thread is an issue that I find to be a bigger problem than gun violence.

The two ideas are not even mutuality exclusive. A person can think that Gun violence is a problem and that access to guns is the root cause of that problem and at the same time that same person can believe that their is an even bigger problem.

So, since I did not even express my opinion on your topic (guns being bad) its a bit arrogant for you to assume what my position on that topic must be. You are putting words in my mouth, that's arrogant.

Its also arrogant to derail the actual topics in this OP and try to talk about another topic. That doesn't mean your topic is wrong or opinion with out merit it is just not the topic of this OP. I'd be more then willing to discuss your topic, you will probably find we have more in common than you think on that topic.

So no being opposed to guns does not make a person arrogant. Talking over others is; tring to dominate all subjects and changing them to something to what you want to talk about is. And generally being rude while you do it is.

originally posted by: ForteanOrg
a reply to: DanDanDat

Yes, indeed, you have a major problem in your country - and it are not the media. The real problem are folks like you whom keep pointing to everything and everybody as the root cause but to the real root cause. The root cause are the guns, the guns and the guns. Not the people that hold the guns: we have people here in my country, and quite a lot of them, but they are not allowed to carry a gun. Period.

Works like a charm.

I always strap on a knife, in case there is a knife fight at the local store.
I also wear my golf club, in case there is a random person hitting people with golf clubs at said store.
I try to drive my car at protests, to help stop anyone driving their car into people with intent.

No.. it's always "If everyone had a gun..."

originally posted by: Boadicea

originally posted by: ForteanOrg
a reply to: DanDanDat

Gun violence has killed 100 people today in the US.

Unless you think that banning guns would stop people from killing themselves, which I very much doubt, you have grossly over-inflated the numbers for cheap political points.

The issue at hand here is that 100 people that now died because of guns would still be alive if Americans finally stopped glorifying guns. And yes, there is a correlation between suicide and gun friendly cultures, check out the stats I provided.

Do be careful up there on your high horse... it is quite a fall back to earth.

Well, I'm not a cowboy. No guns on this horse.