Against the Grain II
By Vaughn Wilson
Just days after a horrific targeting of Blacks by a gunman in Buffalo, NY another gunman walked into an elementary school and killed 19 children and two teachers in Uvalde, Texas. The unfathomable has become common as far as gun violence and mass shootings in America. There have been more than 288 mass shooting in the five months of 2022.
America’s fascination with guns, resistance to restrictions and wavering verdicts in the judicial system make a perfect recipe for the level of gun violence and mass shootings that has plagued our country.
There are more guns than people in the United States. A 2018 survey conducted by Small Arms Survey found that there were there were 120.5 firearms per each 100 U.S. residents. Worldwide, homicides in the U.S. account for 79 percent of all homicides globally. Additionally, suicides by gunfire outpaces homicides in the U.S. 24,292 deaths in 2020 were suicides, while 19,384 were homicides according to a report by the BBC.
Sadly, the mass shooting in Uvalde doesn’t even make the top five most deadly mass shooting in the U.S. The totally senseless 2017 sniper shooting from a Las Vegas hotel room overseeing a festival ranks as the worst mass shooting with 60 people killed and many others injured.
Surprisingly, most of the guns used in mass shootings are obtained legally. 77 per-cent of firearms used in mass shootings were obtained leg-ally. Often those against gun control state that tighter gun control would lead criminals to obtain their guns illegally. Frankly, there needs to be deterrent in place as opposed to just allowing folks to decide to commit a mass murder to walk right into a store and buy assault weapons and bar-rages of ammunition.
52 percent of Americans feel that gun laws need to be stricter. Only eight states ban assault weapons in the U.S. California, Connecticut, Hawaii, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, and Washington D.C. have adopted bans on assault weapons into law. Minnesota and Virginia regulate assault weapon purchases.
If you are wondering why it appears to be obvious that we need to implement gun laws, but there is not universal movement, you must follow the money trail. In 2016, gun rights activists spent nearly $55 million dollars, whereas advocates for gun control spent less than $5 million. This figure does not account for what is the largest financial buy in the gun control debate, which is direct contributions to the campaigns of elected officials. It is widely known that led by the National Rifle Association (NRA), the lobbying of elected officials makes it the most effective lobbying group in the world. One needs simply to look at how legislators turn a blind eye to gun violence even in horrific situations like the killing of elementary school kids in Texas.
Many mass murderers have similarities. The most likely individual who carries out mass murders are white men. They often have delusions of conspiracies that lead them to act out. This is often fueled by watching and virtually idolizing a specific news network that is pro-gun and offers conspiracy theories like the “replacement theory.” These individuals often have mental health issues, which clouds their ability to tell truth from reality. Often, these folks believe they are acting out on their rage from society or filling a long-held fantasy. All these scenarios are dangerous to unsuspecting individuals who are trying the best to live their lives. Sadly, the U.S. has gone decades without enacting any significant changes to guns laws which would include the banning of semi-automatic weapons which were used in both Buffalo and Uvalde.
