“The good we secure for ourselves is precarious and uncertain until it is secured for all of us and incorporated into our common life.” ― Jane Addams
Today’s essay takes a look at safety/danger as gun violence, mass shootings, hate crimes, and domestic terrorism are on the rise. Add climate change, infrastructure neglect, ransomware cyber attacks, and the continued spread of new COVID-19 variants and our safety and security are threatened. Safety and security are two of our most basic human needs, part of the foundation of the physiological requirements as described by Herbert Maslow in his paper in 1943, A Theory of Human Motivation and illustrated in his Hierarchy of Needs.
As I’ve drafted this essay, I’ve followed the tragedy of the condo collapse in Surfside, Florida that transitioned from a rescue to a recovery mission gripping the attention and empathy of the nation. It’s an example of the failure of infrastructure, regulators, and commerce to protect us and keep us safe. Our safety and security should never be taken for granted and there are man-made and natural threats that pose danger as close as the threshold of our homes. Add to the mix natural disasters and the consequences of climate change, including the current deadly heat wave, mud slide in Japan from torrential rains, and the early, first of the season, hurricane and tropical storm threatening the Caribbean, Florida, and Southeastern coastline which spawned tornadoes, floods and took at least one life.
Photo Credit: Lynne Sladky – AP
From a Mixed Metaphors, Oh My! musing from July, 2016, I addressed the issues of home and homelessness, the dual poles of what it means to sleep in your own home, or on the streets. I realized the role intersectionality plays in our lives and I shared the following intention. It’s taken me five years to return to the original themes.
“The following topics are issues that have been on my mind as I’ve reacted to the news in Madison and the world. I was curious how they may intersect or overlay with some degree of synchronicity. They are home/homelessness, equality/oppression, and safety/danger. I usually don’t like to look at life in dualities, but today it helps me parse the meaning of my world and look at the forces at work both in and outside of my control. I intended to address all three topics in a single essay until I found the scope of it too large for me to emotionally handle. Instead, I’ll tackle them one at a time and hopefully still be able to connect the dots on how they interface and intersect.”
Safety/Danger
When I was in outpatient treatment for alcoholism, one of the mindsets or beliefs we were encouraged to challenge and reframe was, “The world was a dangerous place.” Many of us drank over things outside of our control. We struggled with substances and unhealthy behaviors as a response to trauma. We often employed those behaviors to shield or numb ourselves from the threats for which we lacked healthy coping tools.
COVID-19 cases on the rise.
It’s my belief that the proponents of the conspiracy theories and domestic terrorism, promoted by the right which led to the insurrection on January 6th at the nation’s Capital, fueled by the former president, his base of supporters, white nationalists. and Congressional enablers and co-conspirators, are acting from fear and in response to the changes to our society and culture they can’t control. It is an attempt to hold on to power and privilege with tragic consequences.
Photo Credit: Japan mudslide. Kyodo News/AP
Following are events that have occurred recently and some that are continuing to unfold dangerously and threaten our safety:
- On the eve of the Fourth of July Holiday, “a standoff overnight between Massachusetts State Police and ‘several heavily armed men’ in the woods ended Saturday morning with 11 arrests, authorities said. The ordeal, which started during a police traffic stop, led to the shutdown of part of Interstate 95 and a shelter-in-place order for the surrounding area on a busy holiday weekend, police said.”
- Gun violence during the July 4th Holiday, from CNN, “At least 233 people were killed and 618 people were injured by gun violence in more than 500 shootings across the country during the Fourth of July weekend.”
- Climate change causing record-breaking excessive heat in America’s western states and Canada, sparking wild fires and taking hundreds of lives.
- The continued threat of COVID-19 caused by new variants and the large percentage of unvaccinated people in southern and southwestern states. A new Epsilon variant is emerging in California.
- The disinformation ‘Big Lie’ campaign by former president, Trump, his base of supporters, Congressional enablers, and Republican Governors and Legislators enacting voter suppression laws, endangering our democracy.
See the Additional Reading links on Safety/Danger below.
Death Valley Temps
What are the solutions?
As I wrote in the first installment of this series, Home/Homelessness, “I don’t know the answers, but like most problems, the first thing we need to do is not turn our heads away.” We need to remain vigilant, protect voting rights, and enact gun legislation banning automatic weapons, keep guns out of the hands of the mentally ill and children, domestic violence abusers, prohibit sales of guns without background checks, and the list goes on.
We’re overdue in funding infrastructure projects and enforcing regulations that protect the planet. We’re losing the battle to reach the vaccinating benchmark to create herd immunity across the country. Lastly, we must investigate and prosecute insurrectionists and those that promote the “Big Lie,’ and protect our democracy from autocrats, domestic terrorists, white supremacists, and elected officials who are more invested in maintaining their personal power, rather than represent their constituents.
We must “Fight the good fight!” to protect ourselves today and for future generations.
Related Reading from Mixed Metaphors, Oh My!
Words Matter: Trump’s Demagoguery
Additional Reading on Safety/Danger
Biden’s Gun Violence Prevention Strategy
Crime Is Becoming One of America’s Biggest Political Issues
Massachusetts police standoff with heavily armed men ends in 11 arrests
Climate change is frying the Northern hemisphere
How the highly unusual Death Valley temperatures just got more complicated
At least 150 people fatally shot in more than 400+ shootings over the Fourth of July weekend the entire United States at risk
Five undervaccinated put the entire United States at risk
6 Months Later, Republicans Have a New Jan. 6th Message: Insurrection” What Insurrection?