Commentary

Newtown Shootings Reminder of Anytown Violence at Anytime

Levi Rickert, editor-in-chief in Native Condition. Discussion »

Seeing the images of parents and grandparents outside the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut where 20 students and six adults were killed in a mass shooting on Friday morning was a sad reminder of how violent America is.

Until Yesterday, Newton, Connecticut was best known for
the Prydden Brook Falls in the Paugussett State Forest

Newtown is a reminder that violence can occur in Anytown, USA at anytime.

Sadly, 15 of the 24 largest mass shootings during the past 50 years have occurred in the United States.

American Indians have long known about how violent this country is. We know it in our memories when we think about the Wounded Knee Massacre where innocent adults and children were killed by the US military. We know it in our memories when we remember the Sand Creek Massacre where between 70 and 163 American Indians were killed.

American Indians know violence against American Indian women is at epidemic rates. American Indians know there is resistance by certain members of Congress to pass tribal provisions to the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act that would provide increased protection for our grandmothers, mothers, aunts, sisters and cousins.

These statements in no way attempt to say we should accept the business as usual in America. It seems that there is no safe haven. Recent killings have occurred in schools, universities, shopping malls and places of worship.

Beginning yesterday and into last evening, American Indians posted condolences and expressed prayers for the victims and their families of Newtown, Connecticut.

The Native News Network urges American Indians and all others to pray for those impacted by yesterday's shootings. We urge all to pray for the United States of America.

The sheer pain of those who were impacted in Newtown will make us remember there still is a lot of work to be done before there is Peace on Earth during this Christmas season and beyond.

updated 2:57 pm est; posted December 15, 2012 11:20 am est