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Years ago I had a night job setting type for a print shop in Seattle. I worked with a man who was a Chinese refugee. He escaped via Vietnam on some rickety boat or some other epic way and made it here to work the night shift and the print machines. We ate lunch together 1/4
He told me about his life and story in broken English and as I was in my 20s and he in his 50s, I listened. We often talked about current events and that included American gun violence. His answer to most of our problems was “Americans have too much freedom.” I would argue 2/4
“But you risked your life for that freedom, to come here to enjoy it.” And he said that is true but now he could see how it’s wasted on people who take no responsibility for their actions and misuse it against others. No concept of being community. I didn’t agree then yet 3/4
Damn if those conversations don’t haunt me today every time I hear someone demand their personal rights over the safety and well-being of society. From guns, to masks, to speech to incite and plan civil war, to religious freedom to terrorize others with narrow beliefs. Haunts me.
