Sources
https://www.massshootingtracker.org/data/2017
http://www.cnn.com/2017/11/05/health/deadliest-mass-shootings-in-modern-us-history-trnd/index.html
Friday, November 10, 2017
Mass Shootings in America
With only a month and a half left in the year, I feel like it's time to reflect on the impact of mass shootings have had so far. In 2017 there have been 378 mass shootings in the United States, with a total of 531 deaths and 1,619 wounded as a result. Of the 30 deadliest shootings since 1949, 2 of the top 5 deadliest attacks have happened in the past 40 days. So why don't we ever do anything? We continue to have weak gun control laws and blame it on the "lone wolf" or mental illness. Pro-gun activist use the Second Amendment as their sword and shield to stop any meaningful regulation. And while I'm not arguing that we do away with guns completely, I am encouraging the need for better regulation. Implementing better regulation at the federal level would easily have a significant impact on who can access and buy guns. By making even simple strides to regulate gun shows, make the requirements for permits more rigorous (better background checks and mental health tests), and restricting access to bullets people would still be able to have guns but in a more responsible way that could pay off in the long term. The less we react in meaningful ways to these tragedies, the more we are saying that what happened is normal and okay. We need more than prayers or thoughts, we as a nation need action.
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I absolutely agree with all your points made and there are countries who have strict laws on guns that can make it hard to have a gun and prerequisites in order to obtain a permit to hold a gun even harder. Countries such as japan who have such laws have way less crime rates than the US and that's because in the case of Japan the requirements to have a gun is a whole process that has to be repeated over and over again.
ReplyDeleteI also agree that the gun laws need to be tightened and regulated to help crime rates decrease. If people with mental illnesses are capable of accessing these deadly weapons, then their illness shouldn't be to blame for the crimes they commit. If these laws are tightened people with those issues would not be able to access the weapons and crime rates would definitely start to drop. We need to make sure that guns are only used for protection and are only in the hands of responsible people.
ReplyDeleteI definitely agree that we need better regulations and tighter gun control laws. Mass shootings are becoming way too common nowadays, and this is something that needs to change. We need take more precaution and pay closer attention to those we are allowing to handle such deadly weapons, seeing that there is such easy access.
ReplyDeleteI agree that the gun laws do need to be tightened I feel that we need to go through a more advanced background check. The people who own these guns should not have any criminal or mental health record.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the gun show and mental health parts; They are definitely places that have huge rooms for improvement. The thing that strikes me as interesting is the restriction of bullets; its impractical, and does nothing to decrease gun control (and quite frankly, I believe violates the 2nd amendment). Bullets are easy to make at home, and are supposed to be for people to use (legally). This makes me kind of curious: in terms of bullet restriction, what would be your goal (caliber, quantity)?
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Delete@Jason:
ReplyDeleteHow would restricting bullets not reduce gun violence? How many people can a person harm with an automatic weapon when a trigger is held down, but no bullets come out? We can replace or adjust the 2nd Amendment, what cannot be replaced are the lives that were lost.