At the age of eighteen years old, a child will witness on television 200,000 acts of violence including 40,000 murders. Violence has been an issue since the dawn of time and always will be. Until we fully grow to accept one another regarding; religion, ethnicity, gender and personal bias, violence will continue to be an issue throughout the globe. North America is most greatly affected by violence via; racism, drugs and alcohol, media and peoples own personal beliefs.
Racism and discrimination are underlying causes to mass violence throughout North America. Groups such as the Klu Flux Klan ( the KKK )have been around since the late 1800's. They are a white supremest, located on the far right of the political spectrum who have originated in the southern United States. The KKK has been involved in acts of terrorism, violence, murder and the oppression of African Americans, Jews and other minorities and to oppose Roman Catholics and labor unions. Discrimination is not merely based around race, it also gravitates around gender and age. Canadian women received the right to vote in 1918, the thought that women were inferior and should deal with matters of the political agenda. The UN introduced the right for women to vote in 1948 making it an international law to do so. Took you long enough!
Drugs and alcohol pain North American society with much sorrow, due to the massive amounts of crime and violence linked to them. Both drugs and alcohol have negative affects upon ones nature, no one drinks and becomes a better person who is going to change the world. Maybe a more open person, who will tell you what for but certainly not a better one. Alcohol is related to domestic violence cases, drunk driving and violence in general, very seldom does drinking result in a positive outcome. Drugs have sparked massive gang wars and death due to it's illegal trafficking across borders, from one person to another. There is a global black market of drug sales, manufacturing and cultivation, lays many jobs on the line. Due to the great illegal operations that trace drug production it's prices are high, which allow for greater conquest to receiving such drugs whether they be by purchase or robbery. With suck great stakes such as ones home or dinner on the table, lives are lost commonly and violence is induced in order to ensure "business" goes well.
The media has inadvertently desensitized the globe, to matters such as rape, violence and murder due to it's widespread access into each and every civilians life. Many claim that the increase in aggression due to media is at par with the rates of lung cancer and smoking. This is quite alarming in such a time, where weaponry is easily accessible and nuclear war heads are at our governments disposal. Children, ages 8 to 18, spend more time (44.5 hours per week- 61/2 hours daily) in front of computer, television, and game screens than any other activity in their lives except sleeping. Violence is administered, like flu shots at a clinic, every minute, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Children learn by observing and imitating, games such as Grand Theft Auto introduce ideals such as drugs, prostitution and gang violence leave great impressions on such a young child's mind. In the film Bowling for Columbine, a news paper add at a bank states that if you apply for a membership there you will receive a gun upon joining. How is this ethical? If you know please tell me, because this truly makes no sense to me. All American's enjoy the delight of the right to bare arms, to protects ones homestead and well being. I believe this decree has been abused and should be abolished but who am I to govern a country. Nothing more then a 17 year old girl who scoops ice cream.
People's own personal choices, bias and beliefs have catalyzed much disruption in society. Religion is an underlying cause to much violence, due to prejudice towards one another's beliefs and contradictions as to who's religion is superior or correct. But that is in the eye of the Bible or Qur'an holder. (I would list more religious materials but it's almost past my bedtime so this should suffice)Disputes are easily fueled by simple contradictions or arguments. Students come into their schools guns blazing all because of some bullying or hate for their fellow peers. That's madness, you'd think a councilor would suffice to discuss such matters but I guess this isn't the case for some.
North American society will continue to be affected by violence, it seeps into ones home without dismay. One can only hope these factors change, but then again global warming is still a freight train heading our way and what have we truly done to stop that.
