Tragedy upon tragedy. I’m referring to the countless mass shootings in the U.S. As a matter of fact, so far in 2023, there have been more mass shootings than days of the year. I find myself asking when is enough, enough? In 1990’s, I was on campus when the University of Iowa’s mass shooting took place, killing 6 people connected to my alma mater. In 2019, while leisurely browsing in Barnes & Nobles in the Mall of the Americas, we found ourselves in the middle of a ‘mall shooting drill’ meant for the public to prepare and respond to an eventual active mass shooting. So back to the question. When is enough, enough? When decision-makers stop evangelizing guns, the NRA, and the growing violent white Christian groups. And when Americans realize that the time has come to redefine/reinterpret the Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution: “A well-regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms shall not be infringed.” Note: the Second Amendment was ratified on December 15, 1791. And until that day, the reduction of gun violence -quoting Emperor Haile Selassie l, United Nations General Assembly, 1963- “will remain but a fleeting illusion.” 

Alex David Rosaria (53) is a freelance consultant active in Asia & Pacific. He is a former Member of Parliament, Minister of Economic Affairs, State Secretary of Finance and UN Implementation Officer in Africa and Central America. He’s from Curaçao and has a MBA from the University of Iowa. (USA).