‘The King of the World is not safe in his fortress’

This is apropos a letter ‘The King of the World is not safe in his fortress’ to the Editor by this writer carried by the newspaper on Wednesday.

The most important question for American social and education scientists, thinkers, and philosophers is this: Why would a young 20-year-old boy, who has freedom of expression and speech guaranteed by the First Amendment of the US Constitution, and the power to vent his hatred, grudge, or dislike through any form of media, resort to the extreme act of using a gun to try to kill a presidential aspirant, Donald Trump, fully aware that he would be killed in no time, either before or after his attack?

On the strength of logic and reasoning, many motives could be attributed to the boy’s extreme actions.

The increasing polarization of American politics and anti-establishment sentiments may have fueled his behavior. Mental health issues and identity crises could have contributed to his violence.

Social isolation and the influence of radical content in the media may have played a role in curating such extremist behavior. Rapid cultural shifts and the prevalence of gun culture in America may also have been factors.

These reasons may be right or wrong, but this incident has brought to light deeper fault lines in the US’s socio-cultural fabric and the failure of its education system to instill tolerance and respect.

Regardless of the reasons, this attack is going to change the US and the rest of the world in several ways.

In the US, this incident will likely lead to heightened security measures for political figures and increased surveillance, especially of expats.

The immigration and naturalization policy may be tightened to slow down cultural and social changes. Security protocols at airports, train stations, and bus stops in the US and around the world may be further revised to high-security alerts, making travel to the US even more difficult.

This incident has brought to the surface deeper fault lines in the US’s social and cultural aspects and highlighted the failure of their education system, which allowed such hatred to develop in a 20-year-old boy who was not a hardcore criminal, terrorist, or addict, but was willing to take the life of his own life and the life of his own would-be president and would-be king of the world.

The small but eye opening incident may intensify deeper political polarization, as each side blames the other for fostering a toxic environment. This could also spark national conversations on mental health, leading to increased funding and support for mental health services.

Additionally, there might be a reevaluation of the role of media and social platforms in spreading radical ideologies, leading to stricter regulations and oversight. The education system could see reforms aimed at promoting tolerance, inclusivity, and conflict resolution to prevent radicalization.

Qamar Bashir

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024