Guns and hate in America
No end in sight for America's gun crisis.
Sree’s newsletter is produced w/ Zach Peterson (@zachprague). This cartoon by Dave Whamond (@DaveWhamond) captures the distraction efforts of the pro-gun-deaths folks.
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THE UNITED STATES HAS A GUN PROBLEM and we simply refuse to do anything about it.
It’s become commonplace to just not talk about gun violence in a meaningful way. Visualize a news headline that begins with, “In wave of gun violence…” — it’s not hard. In fact, you could be seeing headlines from Easter weekend, like this one from CBS News in Philadelphia:
This is everyday life in America now, and it’s been “normal” for decades. The numbers for the first three months of 2022 are grim, and they are unique to the United States.
For comparison, 4,567 gun deaths are 136 more than all reported combat deaths for U.S. troops (4,431) during the war in Iraq. We are, quite literally, a country at war with itself, and we’ve become numb to stories of 3-year-old children having their fingers reattached because they jumped on their uncle’s lap and his gun went off.
We’ve become numb to children going through metal detectors and barbed wire fences at schools. We’ve become numb to the terrorism of people like the Brooklyn subway attacker. It happens, we’re all expected to thoughts-and-prayers ourselves into a sense of security, and go on “being resilient.”
Somehow, sadly, we are also numb to outright terrorism. The murders at a grocery store in Buffalo were unequivocally a hate crime, and the people living in these places know what to do afterward.
Of course, the man who terrorized people in Buffalo wrote some sort of lengthy screed about all of the things you hear on Tucker Carlson’s show every night. Of course, his browser history belies an obsession with white nationalism — and a willing community online to stoke his obsession. And, of course, he was able to arm himself to the hilt, because in America you can get a gun easier than you can get a can of baby formula.
I’ve lived in New York City for a long time, and I’ve had my fair share of “This is New York, we’re strong,” over the years. We hear the same thing in communities all over the country after tragedies like this — we all have to band together and be there for each other and all of the other platitudes that come with inaction on guns.
I’m sick of it. I’m sick of having to be strong. I’m sick of having to note the exits whenever I’m in a new store. I’m sick of our kids’ having to do active shooter drills when they are 7 years old and just thinking that’s somehow normal. As my newsletter co-producer Zach notes, his kids (7 and 11) have grown up in Europe and have no idea what an active shooter drill is.
Juxtapose all of this against the so-called “pro-life” movement that has spent the last umpteen years cynically howling about the “sanctity of life” and using every aspect of government — right up to and including the Supreme Court — to do everything possible to make women’s lives more difficult. But, with all of that bluster, the pro-life folks really give up that whole game when it comes to guns. We all know the refrain: “There’s just nothing we can do, but our thoughts and prayers go out to families affected by this tragedy.”
Toughing it out is killing us. It’s building a culture of fear. It’s letting terrible people with terrible motives win.
I’m sick of toughing it out, and you should be too.
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#WorthyThread
Sure, Highland Park, Texas, has produced some pretty amazing people, but its racist legacy is nothing short of awful. You won’t learn about that legacy in the latest big writeup about the little Texas hamlet. Josh Benton (@jbenton)’s thread captures what should have been in the WSJ article he links to. Shocking stuff.
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Tech Tip w/ @newyorkbob: Pet Tech Heats Up as Summer Draws Near
By Robert S. Anthony
Each week, veteran tech journalist Bob Anthony shares a tech tip you don’t want to miss. Follow him @newyorkbob.
As summer approaches, the opportunities to enjoy the great outdoors with or without the four-legged friends that kept many of us company during the pandemic increase greatly. Fortunately for them, the supply chain and computer-chip shortages that kept some clever pet tech products from reaching stores last year seem to be resolving for some companies this year.
For example, automatic pet feeders are nothing new, but the Nooie Pet Feeder adds Wi-Fi Internet connectivity, thus allowing users to schedule pet feeding times and control portions remotely with a smartphone. Up to 10 meals and 20 portions can be scheduled per day, according to Nooie, which makes a line of smart home devices.
An internal infrared detection light monitors the food level in the 3.8-liter container and can send out a smartphone alert if the level gets too low—good news for those used to the sight of hungry cats wrapped around their ankles as they arrive home. A backup power supply keeps the unit dispensing food in case of a power outage. The Nooie Pet Feeder is expected to reach stores in late May.
The Wagz Freedom Smart Dog Collar takes a canine-friendly approach to monitoring a dog’s activities and keeping it out of areas where it shouldn’t be. Instead of using electric shocks to correct a dog’s behavior, the $250 Freedom Smart Dog Collar uses a mix of vibrations and audible and ultrasonic sounds to cajole them into doing the right thing, according to the company.
Armed with the Wagz smartphone app and the 1.7-ounce smart collar, which has a built-in GPS radio and a safety light, users can track a dog’s steps, sleep time, location and other data. The app can generate a map of the route you and the dog take together and can generate a “health and happiness score.”
To set a perimeter where the dog is allowed to roam, users only need to drop pins on a map within the mobile app. The locator features require a $10 monthly or $100 annual subscription. The smart collar is recommended for dogs weighing 15 pounds or more.
Yes, the cat will always complain about the quality of the cuisine and the dog will always find a way to get away, but it’s good to have them around at times like these.
🙌 JOB LISTING! The Rockefeller Foundation is seeking its next Managing Director, Multimedia Strategy and Digital Content. Our firm, Digimentors, is managing the search. This is a prime opportunity to help a preeminent nonprofit craft its message and improve lives around the world. Find out how to apply here.
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