Many people ask me, especially non-US citizens, ask me why would I move from the US to Argentina.  My answer is always about the quality of life I have down here.  Society here centers around living and experiencing life, being outdoors, longer days and nights.  It isn’t focused around working.  Working is a way to pay for whatever you need to enjoy life.  Work isn’t life.  Yes, Argentina has many issues; the government is beyond explanation, the economy is one of the worst in the world, and crime is shocking.  However, with all the crime down here which is mostly focused around theft, there hasn’t been a mass shooting by a lone gun man.  It is important to note that he dirty war was the last time Argentina experienced mass killings which was done by the government.

I moved to Argentina in March 2011, since then, there has been 15 mass shootings in the US. WTF.  For those who like spreadsheets MotherJones has a very comprehensive list of all shootings and their basic details since 1982.  Every time I read about another shooting in the US, I think back to a conversation I had with two co-workers about gun violence in America.  We just left our company’s Christmas party and somehow started talking about America’s violence.  It was a very interesting conversation as we were all in HR which gave us some insight into humans I guess, and had different cultural viewpoints as one co-worker was from Russia and the other from Germany.  We compared societies, child rearing, and the laws in each country.  The US, Russia and Germany all have/had histories of being “warring” nations, all three are industrial nations with very stressed worker bees, on and on we compared. We just couldn’t truly pinpoint one reason or reasons why the US is so out of control while other countries in the world do not have such an issue. A few hours later I was at the airport on my way home.  On the news was coverage of the Newtown shooting.  I couldn’t believe it, another one.

I can’t help but wonder what makes these people go on a shooting spree while others don’t.  I think about my life.  I moved around a lot due to my dad’s job.  I was always the new kid.  During my early years I was a chubby latch key kid.  I was bullied and picked on throughout elementary and high school.  I used to come home from school and cry.  I used to dream about having powers like Carrie so I can make them stop.  I had troubles.  In addition, my dad kept guns, tons of guns.  There were guns under his bed, in the closet, in various corners of our home.  I had every possible chance to take any of those guns and make them stop.  Yet, even during my most worst times I never thought about shooting anyone.  Why? Because my dad taught me to respect guns.  My sister and I knew where every gun was and all the bullets.  We didn’t touch them without my dad being right next to us. He drilled into our heads how picking up a gun means you plan to kill.  He instilled the seriousness of what it means to take a life, any life human or animal.  He taught me and my sister how to deal with our issues in a logical Dr. Spock kind of way. I can’t help but think is that the difference?

I’m not a parent.  I can’t say how to raise children.  I can only look at my life and see how my parent raised me during a very difficult time in my life and how I never acted on my pain even with the literal arsenal at my fingertips.  I can also use my own experience raising 4 dogs.  I know their potential.  I know they could kill.  Rodrigo and I take time out everyday to train them to ensure we are able to control them and that they know right from wrong.  I observe my dogs and learn their cues that help me understand what they are thinking and feeling.  I respond to their actions and manage their fears and excitement.  I can’t help but think if I, a person who never had a dog until 3 years ago, can manage 4 dogs why couldn’t the families of these shooters see they were time bombs waiting to go off?

I don’t know much.  I’m just thinking.  I can only hope and pray that none of my family or friends in the US ever fall victim of a shooting.  I worry about this daily. Stay inside and play with your dog everyone.