tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8087274124177135953.post4515567302293109946..comments2023-10-22T05:15:16.819-04:00Comments on Ma Hadash: Why Israel Has No Newtowns OrHadashATLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08177578268522139705noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8087274124177135953.post-9125275556486451812012-12-20T21:59:55.628-05:002012-12-20T21:59:55.628-05:00I don't believe that Israel's gun laws hav...I don't believe that Israel's gun laws have anything to do with the fact that there are fewer (or no) incidents like the Newtown, Ct. incident there.<br /><br />I believe that it has to do with a culture that values life, quality of life, Democracy, and equality, much more than the culture of the U.S., despite what many in the U.S. may think or claim.<br /><br />Jewish culture, in particular, does NOT glorify violence and war! Israelis may be armed, but they don't go out and demonstrate, celebrate, or protest by wantonly shooting bullets into the air, as the residents of Israel's neighboring countries do. Jews also have a long history/tradition of NOT being hunters. Jewish tradition abhors even causing pain to animals, let alone to humans. I believe that the majority of even the most ardently secular Israelis still tend to share these types of traditional Jewish values.<br /><br />One of the important aspects that comes of valuing quality of life and a slightly higher level of equality among citizens that we see in Israel, and most other industrialized, Democratic nations, except for the U.S., is access to health care for all - including mental health care. <br /><br />I don't know whether the Lanza family had access to appropriate mental health care. They seem to have been wealthy, so one would assume that they could have afforded it. But most health insurance plans in the U.S. severely limit their coverage of mental health care. This limitation is likely to discourage even wealthy families from seeking necessary mental health care for family members who obviously need it, as the insurance companies cause their customers to believe that such care is a luxury, and not really necessary - and even that it is not really health care!<br /><br />Speaking to the aspect of greater equality among citizens, radio show host and author Thom Hartmann cited statistics, this past week, showing a clear correlation between higher levels of gun violence, and higher levels of *inequality* among residents of any given area, both internationally, and in the U.S.<br /><br />Lindaguitarhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04975739488939892848noreply@blogger.com