America is a terrorist country.

Not in the traditional sense. It doesn’t export terrorism, at least not officially, or sponsor it within.

Rather, it’s the domestic terrorism committed by individuals within its borders that makes it a terrorist country, irresponsibly enabled by governments.

America has normalized gun violence. There are so many mass shootings and single shootings that the individual events are quickly forgotten.

America accepts that an elderly couple out shopping may have their lives snuffed out by a crazed gunman. Or that children may leave schools in body bags.

America accepts all the risks, and all the loss associated with those risks.

When a foreigner thinks of America, I bet the first thing that comes to mind are the mass shootings.

WTF? This is how Americans want to live? While at the same time professing to be a Christian nation? There is no bigger hypocrisy in the world. Everyone can see it. And that governments allow this to go on, even making it easier for people to carry guns, is a total dereliction of their duties, if not criminal. They are enabling the madness. It’s state-enabled domestic terrorism. And many Americans wouldn’t have it any other way.

I can’t see America getting itself out of this mess any time soon, especially with politicians vehemently opposed to disarming the population. But that mindset is destroying the nation, with politicians distracting people from the gun issue in myriad divisive ways, including demonizing minorities and persecuting them.

America has become a nation for foreigners to avoid because of domestic terrorism. There are travel advisories to that effect in many countries. Try not to get shot if you visit America. Be prepared to dodge bullets anywhere you go.

I’m sure some in America would say it’s not all that bad, at least where they live.

But that’s how much of the world views America. It’s a dangerous country, and it quite probably will get much worse. I’d like to add “before it gets better” to that last sentence, but I am not optimistic it will get better.

There just doesn’t seem to be much chance for a good ending.

— Jillian