We Don’t Have A Gun Problem, We Have A Leadership Problem

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Since January 1st 2016, there have been 182 mass shootings in the United States.

For the record, I believe that hunters and adults should have the ability to own some types of guns. What I am not blind to is that the NRA wants people to think that the 2nd Amendment was written to protect their rights.

The Amendment is only 27 words: “A well-regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.”

While the NRA emphasizes only the last 14 words, the U.S. Supreme Court and appeals courts have focused on “well-regulated militia” and “security of a free State” to rule that Second Amendment rights are reserved to states and their militias — nowadays, the National Guards.

The Second Amendment has roots in states using a militia to protect itself against a revolt of slaves, not individual rights to form a militia to arm themselves against government. The problem is that modern day interpretation is deciding what is legal. For example, you cannot carry a gun into government, but a terrorist can buy one. You can carry a concealed weapon in some states but not others. You cannot own a machine gun but you can own a semi-automatic.

Terror In Orlando And Muhammad Ali’s Legacy

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I was prepared to continue mourning the loss of Muhammad Ali in private, with my family and local community, and then this morning I awoke to the the horror in Orlando, and I just wanted to scream.

I am a Muslim. I am a Muslim in large part due to Muhammad Ali, who was a childhood hero of mine, long before I knew anything about the faith. He remained a hero into young adulthood and into this present day, because he represented many of the things I also rep for, such as Islam, blackness, social justice, humanity and love. He took two holy names and made them a part of global lexicon, so much so that people throughout the world scream Muhammad and Ali in unison, just as they had once had in Ghadeer Khum in the middle of the desert for only the faithful and historians to hear.

Muhammad Ali represented many things. Those who condemn the participation of many at his funeral, who they feel are incongruent with the politics of Muhammad Ali, have themselves “flattened” Muhammad Ali to a sliver of his robust and intricate persona.

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