I agree with what Anngwyn would have said. I live in Colorado in many way all
of the things are true and not true at the same time. I also see that when we
walk in love and we honor both the victim and perpetrator much healing can
occur. I think that is what we cannot stress enough as constellators. After 10
years working with our native Mexican community (some documented, some not) our
small city is finally making substantial overtures for the well-being of all.
I was just in Mexico and yes it is violent and yes it is very much driven by
the cartels. Anecdotally my half brother's cousin actually provided an escape
plane for Chapo and shelter for his family.
Not all Mexicans are victims and some are perpetrators. Not all Americans are
perpetrators and some are victims. With illegal immigration the working poor
(including poor African American young men) compete against undocumented aliens
for jobs.
Quite an interesting dilemma. Canada shares no borders with a poor neighbor,
so the aren't analogous.
Rosabelle White Aguirre de Rice
Constellating in the Americas since 2005
On Jan 5, 2016, at 7:56 AM, anngwyn@xxxxxxx [ConstellationTalk]
<ConstellationTalk@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Hello
Yes, Canada and the USA are very different cultures...as Michael Moore
spoofed in his Canadian Bacon film...as it has been said " The Canadians are
the nicer Americans ". I live in a southwestern border state and the" fear of
the other " here is rampant and continually stoked by the press and the
politicians...with fear mongering rumors that the Mexicans are coming to take
over our country and that many of these illegal immigrants are dealing drugs
to young people, bringing diseases and many are actually Muslim terrorists
in disguise and so on... and while there is considerable violence along our
southwest borders much of it is fear generated...and born out of
desperation... .Also, our situation in the southwest is complicated by the
fact that these territories used to be Mexico...and one of the fears is that
the Mexicans are coming to take them back... on and on...many layers in
operation....and the common thread is "fear of the others "....which lingers
here in what has historically been the legendary lawless "Old West "...where
the "gunslingers " were idolized as protectors of the people...this meme
lingers until today in story and in films...
Warm regards
Anngwyn
In a message dated 1/5/2016 7:33:07 A.M. US Mountain Standard Time,
ConstellationTalk@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx writes:
Speaking as someone who lives in Canada where no one is allowed to carry a
gun and gun registration is legally required, I find that the law, in this
case, let’s me feel safe walking in public, knowing that it is not a public
norm to carry guns. As soon as I cross the border into the States, I feel
tense, even just seeing the signs of gun sales and racks of guns in Wal-mart.
It creates an atmosphere of violence just seeing that it is possible. Then
being in Texas, where people drive around with guns in their trucks with
pride and joy (not sure if that’s legal or not), I felt terrified….
Here in Canada, I can talk to my neighbor openly, even have a dispute or
disagreement, and not be afraid that their psychosis will immediately lead to
being shot.
There’s no guarantee, of course, as people carry guns illegally, but the
cultural atmosphere is way different.
Yes, law enforcement of guns does make a huge difference…..
From: ConstellationTalk@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:ConstellationTalk@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]
Sent: Monday, January 04, 2016 9:23 PM
To: ConstellationTalk@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: [ConstellationTalk] Peace ?
Hello to All,
Maybe in some vicious cycles causes and symptoms are not separated by
absolute boundaries. For better or worse, laws do educate populations, and
obviously it will take more than passing laws to shift deep seated cultural
attitudes. Unlike the US in Switzerland existing laws better regulate the
sale, ownership and licensing of private guns, which includes a ban on
carrying concealed weapons. The law allows citizens who have no criminal
record or history of mental illness, to buy up to three weapons from an
authorised dealer, with the exception of automatic firearms, which are
banned, and military ammunition must be stored in central arsenals rather
than in soldiers’ homes. Guns are responsible for between 200 and 300
suicides each year in Switzerland. One of the reasons the crime rate in
Switzerland is low despite the prevalence of weapons — and also why the Swiss
mentality can’t be transposed on the current individualistic (lack of
universal health insurance) American reality — is the culture of
responsibility, support and safety that is anchored in Swiss society and
passed from generation to generation.
Best wishes to all,
Robert
On Tue, Jan 5, 2016 at 12:12 PM, anngwyn@xxxxxxx [ConstellationTalk]
<ConstellationTalk@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Yes, confusing symptoms and the underlying causes is not likely to lead to
resolution...nor will the imposition of "laws"...we have an interesting and
complex dynamic unfolding now...but not only here in the USA...In
Switzerland, where I have happily lived and worked for many years, citizens
are individually and as a culture very heavily armed...and yet , this is not
a social problem..more evidence that guns are not the problem...only the
symptom of a pervasive underlying miasm here in USA... Students of history
know that outlawing alcohol during the prohibition era led to more violence
because a significant percentage of the populace did not agree and a black
market economy arose...same with the spurious, deeply corrupt "war on
drugs"... outlawing is not the solution, for alcohol, drugs or
firearms...best to think systemically and think more deeply into this massive
social trauma...involving what is also our military/industrial/ state
sponsored , media complicit, national and international violence....and who
benefits ?
All for now...
Anngwyn
In a message dated 1/4/2016 5:40:41 P.M. US Mountain Standard Time,
ConstellationTalk@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx writes:
Hello All,
Gun laws in the US appear to reinforce the violent psyche of fear that drives
it. In the large scheme of things changing the laws may be more than just
treating the symptoms.
Best wishes,
Robert
On Tue, Jan 5, 2016 at 2:49 AM, anngwyn@xxxxxxx [ConstellationTalk]
<ConstellationTalk@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Hello Everyone,
While I am all for peace and not so fond of guns, from a systemic
perspective, guns are not the problem...only the symptom of the problem...We
have always had guns in this country....and as a social traumatologist,
more problematic is the trans-national epidemic of state-sponsored, media
generated "fear porn " designed to promote and accelerate " fear of the other
"....and this inevitably leads to all manner of violence as history as proven
over and again. Confusing the symptom with the problem is likely to lead only
to more confusion. We might ask: Who or what benefits from this current fear
mongering epidemic that seeks to exploit the darker aspects of tribal
consciousness ?
I addressed this "fear porn " in my blog " Trauma and the Human Condition "
http://anngwyn.wisrville.org as "Our Year of Fear ". which may be of ;
interest....
Warm regards
Anngwyn St. Just Ph.D.
http://anngwyn.wisrville.org
www.acst-international.com
