US gun laws a threat to its democracy

The killing of six people and injuries to several others when at least one gunman opened fire inside a crowded gurdwara near Milwaukee in Wisconsin in the United States during Sunday morning prayers is a matter of deep sadness and shock. While US federal agencies are yet to determine the motive for the gunman having gone berserk, indications are that the victims of the attack were targeted because the killer probably mistook the congregation for Muslims. The FBI and police will hopefully piece together enough details to come up with some clues but that this incident occurred at a place of worship lends even greater poignancy to the unfortunate event. For the Sikh community in the United States, solving one hate crime may not be enough. They have been at the receiving end since 9/11 — repeatedly mistaken for who they are not. Ignorance about the turban, long hair and kirpan is rampant.

In the end, what happened in Wisconsin is a quintessential American tragedy. It recurs on a periodic basis with different combinations of the same ingredients — racism, ignorance, hatred, delusion and mental problems. One ingredient remains constant and that is the easy availability of guns. It is time US authorities did something about it. This was the second shooting incident in the US in two weeks, after the massacre at a Colorado movie theatre that left 12 dead. In a society in which there is so much materialism and the concept of family has virtually broken down, such incidents reflect a glaring streak of disgruntlement especially among the youth who feel starved of genuine love. The Americans indeed need to introspect on where they are heading.

In the melting pot that the US is, religious freedom and tolerance are fundamental pillars of society. The Sikh community there contributes to this principle and meaningfully enhances the American social fabric. Any threat to this fabric must be combated with all the force at the administration’s command. It is now incumbent on the authorities to track down any associates of the killer (who was himself killed) and to mete out exemplary punishment.