Opinion: Francine Prose Asks “Why Are Americans Being Shot for Knocking on the Wrong Door?”

For the Guardian, Francine Prose, distinguished writer in residence at Bard, writes about the recent shooting incidents in Missouri and upstate New York, where innocent young people were shot by homeowners for the simple mistake of knocking on the wrong door or pulling into the wrong driveway. Prose acknowledges that as Americans, compared to just a decade and a half ago, an “uptick in impulsive, explosive, trigger-happy rage ramps up the fear and paranoia that has us warily eyeing our fellow passengers and shoppers”—and asks, “So how do we change the belief that it’s a good idea to shoot first and ask questions later? How do we repair this broken chromosome in our nation’s cowboy DNA?”

Post Date: 04-25-2023