When Will We be in the Streets? 

Only a few weeks ago hundreds were shot in Vegas with 58 killed, about 50 were shot in Sutherland Springs with 26 killed, and countless others in between those killings and before.  Those killed in Texas were killed on the same November 5th that 13 were killed at Ft. Hood a short distance away in 2009, with about three similar attempts at that base since then.  This means almost nothing, though, to many in the U.S., and will occur again and again, as it is quickly forgotten (before Sutherland Springs, anyone mention in conversation the Vegas killings lately?). 

Whether or not this Texas case is related to domestic violence, it is abominable that the great majority of women (and men) are doing nothing about such violence or other types of violence.  There are no demonstrations by women against the Cowboys for playing Elliott.  Regardless of whether he would be found guilty or not, there are no demonstrations against NFL domestic violence. 

Similarly, there are no demonstrations in the sport world, either, by Latinos against the Texas Rangers who are the namesake of the Rangers who had a bloody history against Latinos.  This is without adding that Texas murdered thousands in two wars against Mexico and then murdering for the maintenance of slavery in the Civil War.  I am from Texas and know the history.   

This is not to mention the Texas violence of school corporal punishment and capital executions.  Houston was known as the “capital” of capital punishment in the U.S. 

Very few blacks, or others, kneel during the anthem, which has a murderous third stanza against slaves.  There is almost zero talking back by team persons or the thousands of Cowboys fans (who instead are vehemently hateful to other teams) to Jerry Jones in reference to his monetary ownership of them, as he reminds everyone.  Likewise, McNair of the Texans made the point that the inmates, the team that is, can’t be running the prison, the owners that is.   

Relatively few blacks emphasize that Black Lives do Matter in terms of murders by police.  When some, blacks and others, protest it is too often in response to some white supremacist demonstration. 

In fact, hardly anyone can remember any protest for the span of the past 14 years against invasions of the U.S. all over the place (not just Iraq and Afghanistan).  When accounts point out that there are 4,000 U.S. soldiers in Syria, we shrug the next minute and it is non-news in the sense that nothing is done about it, nor about the many soldiers who are not only in Niger but elsewhere, and killed.  If anything, the violent military is glorified as a prelude to the violent football games.   

The U.S. has murdered millions of people for oil and related reasons.  Texas is an oil state and Houston is an oil city.  Apparently, nothing is going to change here or elsewhere at this rate in the foreseeable future about the military violence and other facets of violence.   

This need not be the case, as it is not in many European and Asian nations.  It is simple: they do for their citizens and the citizens respond likewise (nothing much to be frustrated about societally there).  Unless the latter becomes the case here, Sutherland Springs (very soon forgotten in everyday matters) will obviously not be the last mass killing or the last killing of any kind. 

It is anachronistic that women, Latinos, blacks, and others are not in the streets protesting.  The Joneses and McNairs of the world thus shrug them off in a clearly dismissive way.  Remember that Trump is still in the Oval Office despite it all.   

Of course, Hillary would have had us killing even more by now throughout the world, given her history as Secretary of State.   Not a peep is heard from Bernie, however, after she stabbed him in the back, or for that matter no one is in the streets against what she did to him and his supporters.   In fact, since Bernie is not doing anything about it, why should his supporters do so, the thinking goes. 

About all we will see after the next mass killing or other killing is the media again looking for a hero and saying it could have been worse, lots of police milling around, hundreds of red lights flashing, flowers and candles dutifully placed in a spot, while Washington and others tell us to pray: the same rigmarole.   

Only a few weeks ago hundreds were shot in Vegas with 58 killed, about 50 were shot in Sutherland Springs with 26 killed, and countless others in between those killings and before.  Those killed in Texas were killed on the same November 5th that 13 were killed at Ft. Hood a short distance away in 2009, with about three similar attempts at that base since then.  This means almost nothing, though, to many in the U.S., and will occur again and again, as it is quickly forgotten (before Sutherland Springs, anyone mention in conversation the Vegas killings lately?). 

Whether or not this Texas case is related to domestic violence, it is abominable that the great majority of women (and men) are doing nothing about such violence or other types of violence.  There are no demonstrations by women against the Cowboys for playing Elliott.  Regardless of whether he would be found guilty or not, there are no demonstrations against NFL domestic violence. 

Similarly, there are no demonstrations in the sport world, either, by Latinos against the Texas Rangers who are the namesake of the Rangers who had a bloody history against Latinos.  This is without adding that Texas murdered thousands in two wars against Mexico and then murdering for the maintenance of slavery in the Civil War.  I am from Texas and know the history.   

This is not to mention the Texas violence of school corporal punishment and capital executions.  Houston was known as the “capital” of capital punishment in the U.S. 

Very few blacks, or others, kneel during the anthem, which has a murderous third stanza against slaves.  There is almost zero talking back by team persons or the thousands of Cowboys fans (who instead are vehemently hateful to other teams) to Jerry Jones in reference to his monetary ownership of them, as he reminds everyone.  Likewise, McNair of the Texans made the point that the inmates, the team that is, can’t be running the prison, the owners that is.   

Relatively few blacks emphasize that Black Lives do Matter in terms of murders by police.  When some, blacks and others, protest it is too often in response to some white supremacist demonstration. 

In fact, hardly anyone can remember any protest for the span of the past 14 years against invasions of the U.S. all over the place (not just Iraq and Afghanistan).  When accounts point out that there are 4,000 U.S. soldiers in Syria, we shrug the next minute and it is non-news in the sense that nothing is done about it, nor about the many soldiers who are not only in Niger but elsewhere, and killed.  If anything, the violent military is glorified as a prelude to the violent football games.   

The U.S. has murdered millions of people for oil and related reasons.  Texas is an oil state and Houston is an oil city.  Apparently, nothing is going to change here or elsewhere at this rate in the foreseeable future about the military violence and other facets of violence.   

This need not be the case, as it is not in many European and Asian nations.  It is simple: they do for their citizens and the citizens respond likewise (nothing much to be frustrated about societally there).  Unless the latter becomes the case here, Sutherland Springs (very soon forgotten in everyday matters) will obviously not be the last mass killing or the last killing of any kind. 

It is anachronistic that women, Latinos, blacks, and others are not in the streets protesting.  The Joneses and McNairs of the world thus shrug them off in a clearly dismissive way while they profit from it.  Also, Trump is still in the Oval Office despite it all; he wants the military industrial complex to profit further from the invasions and the selling of arms while we sit on our hands without health care, etc. 

Of course, Hillary would have had us killing even more by now throughout the world, given her history as Secretary of State.   Not a peep is heard from Bernie, however, after she stabbed him in the back, or for that matter no one is in the streets against what she did to him and his supporters.   In fact, since Bernie is not doing anything about it, why should his supporters do so, the thinking goes. 

About all we will see after the next mass killing or other killing is the media again looking for a hero and saying it could have been worse, lots of police milling around, hundreds of red lights flashing, flowers and candles dutifully placed in a spot, while Washington and others exhort us to pray: the same rigmarole.

Jose Martinez is a university professor.