Annabel Honigstein
Since Jan. 1, 2023, there have been 130 mass shootings—shootings where four or more people were killed or injured, not including the gunman—in the United States. Approximately once a week, we receive a news notification alerting us that there has been another act of gun violence. Occasionally, we react, concerned and curious to know what happened. But with 130 mass shootings in the span of only a few months, our reactions often get reduced down to a remark such as, “Did you see the news? How terrible.”
According to the Gun Violence Archive, there were 646 mass shootings during the last three years in the U.S. Perpetual gun violence is an inescapable reality unique to Americans: Britannica states that in 2007, Switzerland ranked third in international gun ownership rates— with 45.7 guns per 100 people—and had 24 gun homicides and 253 gun suicides in 2009. The U.S. ranked first in international gun ownership rates with 88.8 guns per 100 people and had 12,632 gun homicides and 17,352 gun suicides in 2007. The U.S. had 12,608 more gun homicides and 17,099 more gun suicides despite having less than double the gun ownership rates of Switzerland. Most of us do not comprehend where this issue stems from, and it is challenging to address it at its roots when we are constantly being fed incomplete, outdated and distorted excuses for a gunman’s actions.
The excuse we often hear is “mental illness.” A week after the Parkland shooting on Feb. 14, 2018, that took the lives of 17 people, then President Donald Trump and other Republicans said efforts to prevent future mass shootings should focus on improving mental health. Furthermore, a poll conducted by ABC News and the Washington Post found that 77% of Americans believed that better mental health monitoring and treatment could have deterred the Parkland shooting.
The issue at hand, however, is not directly linked to mental illness: According to the American Psychological Association, approximately 20% of U.S. adults met the criteria for one or more psychiatric diagnoses, and nearly 6% had a serious, impairing mental illness in 2020. Moreover, the APA found that even if all mental illnesses were cured, violence would only decrease by 4%. While mental illness is a topic that needs to be addressed, blaming gun violence on it is stigmatizing and does not reflect the full picture.
Racism, hatred and biases are also common justifications for mass shootings in the U.S. On May 14, 2022, Payton Gendron, a 19-year-old white man, entered a supermarket in a predominantly Black neighborhood of Buffalo, New York. According to Buffalo News, all 10 of the victims who were killed were Black. Gendron pleaded guilty to attempted murder as a hate crime, first-degree murder and 25 state counts of domestic terrorism. NBC News also reported that Gendron’s motive was “for the future of the White race.”
Mental health issues and prejudice are undoubtedly motivators for gun violence and mass shootings. It’s essential, however, to consider the true root of this nationwide epidemic: accessibility. At the time of purchase, Gendron was only 18 years old and cleared every background check, as he claimed he just wanted to use the gun for target practice. Although Gendron’s racial bias may have been the motive, a simple gun-purchasing process provided him the means to act.
AMERICANS REMAIN UNSAFE UNTIL GHOST GUNS ARE TAKEN OUT OF CIRCULATION, AS GOVERNMENTS CANNOT EFFECTIVELY REGULATE THEM.
The Gun Control Act of 1968 regulates firearms at the federal level and mandates that citizens and legal residents must be at least 18 years old to purchase shotguns, rifles and ammunition. All other firearms can only be sold to those who are 21 and older. State laws are more inconsistent: They deviate in terms of waiting periods, which exist to prevent “heat of the moment” crimes, and background checks, which investigate the purchaser’s criminal and
mental health history.
A major threat to the safety of American citizens are “ghost guns” that are untraceable. These largely unregulated guns can be purchased online and lack serial numbers that are used to regulate legally acquired guns. More than 40% of crime guns recovered by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives in California were
ghost guns. In late 2019, 16-year-old Nathaniel Berhow used a ghost gun to kill two students and injure three others at Saugus High School in California. On Jan. 30, 2022, a 14-year-old boy was accidentally shot by a friend playing with the ghost gun he built. Thus, Americans remain unsafe until ghost guns are taken out of circulation, as governments cannot effectively regulate them.
THE FAILURE OF GUN REGULATION SYSTEMS, THE INFLUENCE OF THE NRA AND THE EXCESSIVE AVAILABILITY OF WEAPONS POSE A MAJOR THREAT.
The National Rifle Association is one of the most powerful lobby organizations in the U.S. and also contributes to gun violence. It defends the idea that citizens have the right to bear arms with no government oversight, and advocates for loosening the few regulations that currently exist.
The NRA has a notable annual budget of approximately $3 million that is used to lobby congress members and promote pro-gun candidates. It grades members of Congress on their openness to gun laws, which can affect their approval rankings. Thus, many politicians, especially those from conservative states, are reluctant to support gun control measures due to fear of losing the NRA’s support. This dynamic means that gun accessibility will continue to be a leading cause of mass shootings unless those in power begin to take action, instead of simply issuing empty statements of condolence.
The U.S. has had 131 mass shootings since the beginning of 2023, and we are less than halfway through the year. While mental illness and prejudices are often used as justifications for these acts of violence, accessibility to firearms remains the true root of this nationwide epidemic. The failure of gun regulation systems, the influence of the NRA and the excessive availability of weapons pose a major threat. Laws remain inconsistent, and the emergence of untraceable firearms has only worsened the issue. As our country continues to grapple with gun violence, it is critical to recognize the need for stricter and more effective gun regulations to ensure the safety of all Americans.
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