Why Does Our Government Never Learn the Obvious: Lessons From the D.C. Naval Shooting – Vol. 217, September 19, 2013

Why Does Our Government Never Learn the Obvious: Lessons From the D.C. Naval Shooting – Vol. 217, September 19, 2013 –

We, the citizens of the United States wonder why it is that such horrible shootings occur here in our country, until we come to grips with how incompetent our legal and prison systems are, based on incidents such as what happened Monday morning at the Washington D.C. Navy Yard. Isn’t it infuriating that a man that was previously arrested for shooting the tires of another man’s vehicle back in 2004, and worse, being discharged from the Navy following what was reported as being a “pattern of misconduct” by a U.S. defense official, would have in his possession not only an active military ID allowing him to enter the base legally, worse while being armed with an assault rifle and a gun.

What does it take to for our government to take the appropriate steps to keep angry, depressed people from harming others? I find it disgusting to blame  Aaron Alexis for his ability to go on his shooting rampage for he belonged either behind bars or on a facility for the criminally mentally insane, far away from any innocent, unknowing person. This based on his own history of angry and perhaps impulsive actions of destruction.

Mr. Alexis was in the Navy’s ready reserve which is why he had an active military I.D. In the past, he was an enlisted petty officer working on electrical systems, according to Navy Secretary Ray Mabus he explained to CNN. He was discharged from the Navy following a “pattern of misconduct,” a U.S. defense official said.

I wonder why the military is needing to review Aaron Alexis’s files at this late date. It seems that they already knew that he was a danger to others given his past history. He never should have been out on the street, never mind having an active I.D. to enter any military base legally.”

I contrast this Mr. Alexis’s history with the the prison statistics from the NAACP. Did you know that:

1) The U.S.A. constitutes 5% of the world population with 25% of the world’s imprisoned.
2) 1 in ever y 31 adults, or 3.2 percent of the population is under some form of correctional control.
3) Nationwide, African-Americans represent 26% of juvenile arrests, 44% of youth who are detained, 46% of the youth who are judicially waived to criminal court, and 58% of the youth admitted to state prisons (Center on Juvenile and Criminal Justice).
4) African Americans represent 12% of monthly drug users, but comprise 32% of persons arrested for drug possession
5) In 2002, blacks constituted more than 80% of the people sentenced under the federal crack cocaine laws and served substantially more time in prison for drug offenses than did whites, despite that fact that more than 2/3 of crack cocaine users in the U.S. are white or Hispanic.

I make this comparison to make a point. We have someone who has already proven to be a real danger to others as he is shooting off his gun at another person’s car several years ago, and then find it a surprise to see that this same man was armed with an assault rifle and a handgun.

It is my belief from my understanding of how mental health conditions go, that a man who is so angry that he is shooting at another’s automobile, and is known by the Navy to have acted with a “pattern of misconduct” that this man had no business being involved with the military in any way. He also should never have been allowed onto any military base, and certainly ought not to have been able to access any sort of fire arms.

Generally when a person is angry and acting out all over the place, the person could be described as being depressed in which case he needed to be under professional care, kept far away from the normal stressors of life, rightfully held separately from the citizens of this country.

When this country is so easy to incarcerate the black people of this country for minor drug infractions, filtering down to the children of those incarcerated, resulting in these children not having their parents around for long stretches of time, it destroys their innocent childrens’ stability,  lowers their socioeconomic status, and receiving love from their parents.

I am not saying that drug peddlers and abusers of drugs ought to “get off.”.What I am saying is that the offense needs to be dealt with based on the danger that the crime warrants. There is a huge difference between someone who has a drug problem who needs treatment for their problem, with incarceration only necessary if they did something to harm another.

Someone found wielding guns, never should have been allowed back into the public realm so long as we have the money to incarcerate petty drug users for ridiculous amounts of time, usually with little to no medical treatment for their actual problem – their drug addiction and whatever caused them to use the drugs in the first place – generally some form of mental or emotional instability – hormones and neurotransmitters being unbalanced –  things that can and need to be treated. Contrast that situation with one who feels he has the right to shoot off a gun at strangers for whatever reason. This person has no valid reason for being allowed out of prison, certainly never to have a valid pass to enter a military compound under any circumstances, never mind with firearms of any sort.

About Suzanne

Suzanne Kellner-Zinck founded Dawning Visions Hypnosis in 2002, She has become an innovator in the use of hypnotism and neuro-linguistic programming in the areas of obsessive compulsive disorders such as: eating disorders, sexual addiction and substance abuse as well as working with those with anxiety and mood disorders.

Her clients have come to work with her from across the United States and as far away as Africa to help them to finally be freed from these emotional issues that once ruled their lives. Today she is in the process of bringing her work to many more in the form of ebooks and other downloadable formats.

She is a member of American Holistic Medical Association and the American College for Advancement in Medicine.

Prior to founding Dawning Visions Hypnosis, Kellner-Zinck worked within vendor programs for the mentally ill working to help them to live up to their fullest potential. Many of her previous clients were able to move out on their own and find fulfilling work.

Kellner-Zinck is a Certified Trainer of Hypnosis and Neuro-Linguistic programing through Tad James Company, Inc. and a Master Hypnotist and Master Practitioner of Neuro-Linguistic Programming through Advanced Neuro Dynamics. She holds a bachelor’s degree in education and political studies from Curry College.

Dawning Visions Hypnosis is teaching people that they can indeed leave their unwanted behaviors behind as they move forward to living fulfilling and joy filled lives.