Jeff Koterba cartoon for September 17, 2013 “Naval Shooting War”
The words “American Exceptionalism” blare like an alarm in my mind on days like yesterday. As I sit listening to the coverage of yet another mass shooting, not wanting to listen to the news any more but knowing that it’s the ugly truth about the US that we must all come to terms with if we’re ever going to change our new reality, I grow ever sadder at what this place has become.
What is so exceptional about the good ol’ USA?
Well, we rank #49 on the World Freedom of the Press index, right behind Malta and ahead of Comoros. (Comoros? Really?)
Think we have the world’s best healthcare? Hahahah. In the World Health Organization rankings of The World’s Health Systems, we’re #37!
But when it comes to the biggest exporters of weapons, the number of guns owned, the number of mass shootings and the number of gun deaths each year, well. we’re #1!
At the NY Times, Nick Kristoff writes “On Guns, We’re Not Even Trying“
So far this year, the United States has averaged more than one mass shooting a day, according to the ShootingTracker website, counting cases of four or more people shot. And now we have the attack on Wednesday in San Bernardino, Calif., that killed at least 14 people.
This morning on the show, after I ranted a bit about our latest gun travesty, it was our bi-weekly visit with Harvey J. Kaye who wanted to revisit Bernie Sanders’ speech on what it means to be a Democratic Socialist.
After a news update, I checked in with my dear friend Jason Leopold who was out in San Bernardino last night (and all over MSNBC) reporting for Vice News.
And finally, Howie Klein joined me to talk about the politicians who’ve been bought and paid for by the NRA… and DCCC-Democrats who enable the NRA!
We’ll do it again tomorrow… lightening the mood a bit with Julianna Forlano and a musical blast from my radio past for Flashback Friday, radio or not!
