Should a travel advisory against the US be issued?
THE EDITOR, Madam:
JAMAICANS SHOULD reconsider travel to the United States. The shootings at the Kansas City Chiefs victory parade is the most recent example of a country that has for the year-to date officially recorded 48 mass shootings. On this occasion not only were several children shot but ambulance services to take the survivors to hospital were overwhelmed.
Mass shootings seem to be a traditional way of life in the United States. Tourists should stay away from schools, churches, synagogues, nightclubs, abortion clinics, medical centres and beauty parlours. Avoid protest marches, street demonstrations, picnics, marathons, sports events and rock concerts.
There are groups you should be wary of such as BLM (Black Lives Matter) and the White Supremacist whose demonstrations frequently end in gunfire, damage to public and private property and looting. Anti-Semitism is also on the rise.
Proceed with caution on subways, avoid bingo nights, bowling alleys and cinemas and reconsider church. Above all DON’T TRUST THE POLICE. They have been known to shoot traffic violators in the back, mistakenly killing the neighbour of a suspect they wanted to apprehend, put a bullet through a jogger in error and fired first and asking questions afterwards.
Geography: the states with possibly the best gun control laws are Hawaii, Connecticut and California which improve your chances of survival. Arkansas has few such laws and Mississippi almost none. Texas is notoriously lawless (don’t trust teenagers as they often carry guns to school).
Big cities are your greatest threat. Chicago (with its fabled St Valentine’s Day massacre), Philadelphia (The City of Brotherly Love), Buffalo (where supermarkets are deadly), Washington (the insurrection at the Capitol happened after Donald Trump lost the last election) and Kansas City (see above). Small towns are generally safe but remember what happened at Uvalde, Texas.
United States summary: Violent crimes such as home invasions, armed robberies, dangerous car chases and homicides are common. Sexual assaults occur frequently but are only publicised when movie producers, film stars or politicians are involved.
News outlets, social media and the US Tourist Board please copy.
ANTHONY GAMBRILL
Kingston