When the American ideology, based on liberty, individualism and laissez-faire attitudes towards assault weapons causes so much death and destruction around the planet, maybe it is time that all of us speak up.
For many outside of the U.S., the supposed idea of American exceptionalism, that the U.S. is different from other countries in that it has some sort of moral authority to spread liberty and democracy, is going morally bankrupt.
What is so exceptional about not being free to go to school, the cinema, or walk down the street looking over your shoulder wondering who is going to take a shot at you? Is that freedom?
Although the rest of the world can do very little about the delusional mindset of many within the U.S. towards assault weapons, we can all let it be known on a collective level by insisting that our governments negotiate and ratify the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) to regulate and control the international trade of conventional weapons, like those used in many mass-shootings.
With the U.S. being the world’s biggest arms exporter estimated at $55-billion-a-year trade in conventional firearms (40 percent of the global total legally, and an unknown amount illegally trafficked), of course, the largest source of opposition to the ATT has come from the U.S. and the Institute for Legislative Action (ILA), which is the lobbying arm of the NRA.
The goal of the treaty is to enforce stricter regulation on the international transfers of conventional arms when they 1) cross a border of a sovereign state and 2) change ownership. Currently there are no internationally agreed standards to ensure that arms are transferred responsibly.
Very simply, the goals and objectives of the Treaty are:
(a) For States Parties to establish the highest possible common standards for regulating or improving the regulation of the international trade in conventional arms; and
(b) To prevent, combat and eradicate the illicit trade in conventional arms and their diversion to the illicit market or for unauthorized end use;
In order to:
(c) Contribute to international and regional peace, security and stability;
(d) Prevent the international trade in conventional arms from contributing to human suffering; and
(e) Promote cooperation, transparency and responsibility of States Parties in the trade in conventional arms, thus building confidence among States Parties.
The treaty aims at establish a standardized system of marking weapons to indicate the country of origin and manufacture. Of course, this will not end the illegal arms trade, but it could restrict access in unstable regions and establish a legal framework to prosecute those who traffic arms.
Although the treaty would have no affect on what happens in U.S. domestic markets, it would make it harder for countries and manufacturers to not be transparent and responsible. Even this small step would be significant to prevent the loss of innocent life. It’s time for the decent opinions of all mankind to prevail!
Here is the Draft of the Arms Trade Treaty. The treaty is in the preliminary stages of development and has not yet been officially negotiated. Negoiating the final text is scheduled for March 2013.
When a country decides to invest in arms, rather than in education, housing, the environment, and health services for its people, it is depriving a whole generation of its right to prosperity and happiness. We have produced one firearm for every ten inhabitants of this planet, and yet we have not bothered to end hunger when such a feat is well within our reach. Our international regulations allow almost three-quarters of all global arms sales to pour into the developing world with no binding international guidelines whatsoever. Our regulations do not hold countries accountable for what is done with the weapons they sell, even when the probable use of such weapons is obvious.
— Oscar Arias Sanchez, former President of Costa Rica (awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1987 for his efforts to end civil wars across Central America)
