Erik Guerra

Social Movements

April 6, 2014

“The War Comes Home”

http://www.democracynow.org/2014/4/4/the_war_comes_homes_deadly_fort

This video covers a shooting in Fort Worth Texas. In the shooting four were left dead including the gunman. There were sixteen injured. The shooter was a thirty four year old army specialist. His name was Ivan Lopez. Ivan Lopez was being evaluated for post traumatic stress disorder. Ivan Lopez had served in Iraq. Although he served in Iraq officials said he never saw combat. There was no apparent motive for what was the second mass shooting in over five years at the countries largest military base. It was the third shooting at a military base in the U.S. in about six months.

A cafe named Under the Hood is located outside of the military base. The manager from Under the Hood explains the environment. He explains how the atmosphere has been really strange. Also he speaks of the opening of traumatic wounds. An Iraq veteran talks about speaking with other veterans from Fort Worth and says their reactions do not seemed to surprised.

“Drugging America's Veterans”

http://www.democracynow.org/2014/4/4/drugging_americas_veterans_painkiller_abuse_spreads

This story speaks about how army veterans have become addicted to subscriptions pain killers. An army specialist was sent home after being injured. He did not die because of this injury. He later died due to medical pain killers. Had become addicted to pain killers. It was said that he had been sent to a detox center to get clean. Although he had went to the detox center the hospital continued to give him narcotics. After two months he was released with what was called as a massive cocktail of drugs. This included twelve tablets of the painkiller oxycoton. Since this mans death his father continues to attempt to piece together what had happened. He had consumed two beers, eight oxycoton tablets, tranquilizers, and muscle relaxants. It was too late for anyone to save him after he fell and passed out.  I am sad to see that there is a flaw in this system.