By Evelyn Uddin-Khan

It is a painfully sad indictment on humanity when innocent people are shot to death because of the color of their skin.

It is even more so when this happens in the US of A and it keeps on happening so frequently because we are such a God faring nation.

I say the US of A in particular because we Americans are pro life with liberty for all people.

A teenager, 18 years old, who hates Black people, drives 200 miles, finds a supermarket and shoots 10 people dead, just because of their God given colour. Their skin is Black.

What is wrong with this picture?

In graduate school, in a sociology class, I learned that racism begins at home. Children learn what they live. And then they live what they learned.

Well, here we have a teenager who should be in school, but instead is wearing military gear, well-armed and is carrying out his plan to kill Black people. He is live-streaming his “racially motivated extremist” hate crime for the world to see.

Did he learn to hate Black people at home, in church, in school, among his peers? A white supremacist at eighteen?

In our society today, it is easier to buy guns and ammunition than it is to buy an education. It seems as if this boy had more access to guns and death than books and life.

How is it possible for a kid so young to sit and think and make such detailed and destructive plans without due consideration for the aftermath of his actions? How is it that no one knew?

We come back to the same destructive elements in our society: guns and racism.

This country has a population of 331 million people (2020 Census). “The Small Arms Survey” states that US civilians alone account for 393 million guns (Google). It is also believed that people own another 50 million illegal /unlicensed guns.

A country with more guns than people? It is easier to get a gun than to get health care.

We are not safe in churches, in supermarkets, schools, malls, cinemas, ball games, restaurants. Where can we go and take our families? Are we heading for a future of fear?

When is the NRA, Congress and state officials going to wake up and put people before guns? How many more guns do we need to feel safe?

American society is infested with diseases like racism, prejudice, hate, intolerance, and plain dislike for people who are different.

In following this story in the media two things stood out. First, the words that were used to describe the massacre: racially motivated, extremist, white supremacist, hate crime, racial tension, gun violence, live streaming the crime, among others.

Second, 18 year-old Payton wanted to rid America of immigrants, Jews, Muslims, Black and Brown people, Asians, etc. In fact, he wants an America with only white European Americans. (When people say only White blue-eyed Americans, I always ask myself what happens to the Native Americans? Where do they go?)

Can this happen in Salisbury? Would I enter a grocery store one day and not exit?

Can’t we just stop selling guns and start accepting people of all races and religions — because they are all God’s creation.

The Sixth Commandment of Moses states: Thou shalt not kill.

Jesus said: Love your neighbor as you love yourself.

What do you think Ted Arms Dealer Budd?

Evelyn Uddin-khan moved to Salisbury in 2018 after living in the New York City area for most of her life. She taught in public schools and for a community college in the New York City area.