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Tuesday night at a Walmart in Chesapeake, Virginia, the horrible heritage of gun violence in America reared its ugly head once more. According to local authorities, at least six individuals died in the store, and four more people are being treated in nearby hospitals.
This comes after shootings at the University of Virginia, where three people died less than two weeks ago, and a Colorado Springs LGBTQ nightclub, where five people died even more recently.
Each instance is difficult to avoid seeing as another outcome of the bitter gun debate in America. Many Americans view their constitutionally protected right to keep and bear arms as inalienable. Others, however, contend that this right jeopardizes the right to life.
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Every shooting appears to solidify everyone’s individual beliefs. Keep a careful eye on Glenn Youngkin. In an all-too-familiar pattern, a shooting will lead to calls for more gun control from some and calls for less gun control from others. Before the topic fades from the national conversation, a contentious debate takes place.
The cycle then repeats again when there is another shooting. President Joe Biden renewed his plea for congressional action on Wednesday, but this is improbable given the likelihood of a polarised Congress in January.
“This year, I signed the biggest change to gun laws in a generation, but it is still far from sufficient. The president declared in a statement that we must act more decisively. Glenn Youngkin, the governor of Virginia, who has been hailed as a potential future force in Republican politics, has provided the more compelling political response to watch.
“This morning, our hearts break with the people of Chesapeake. I’ve been in touch with law enforcement this morning and have offered any help I can as this investigation develops. In our community, heinous acts of violence have no place, Youngkin tweeted on Wednesday morning.
His message is remarkably similar to his response after the shooting at the University of Virginia. “I am aware that nothing that can be said or done today would be able to provide them with any sort of comfort.
And so, in my opinion, now is the time for us to band together to support them, pray for them, and acknowledge that as a community, we have a chance to mourn with and for them. There are no other words to explain how horrible it is, Youngkin remarked at a temporary monument at the school.
Youngkin also requested that his state “raise up in prayer” the families of those killed in the mass killings in a tweet on Thanksgiving. Despite how sincere they may be, no mention of guns is made in his responses.
If Youngkin is the future “unifier” of the Republican Party, it doesn’t seem that he will support gun control. More weapons, more shootings. According to research released in January by the nonprofit organization Everytown for Gun Safety, which is dedicated to preventing gun violence, there is a direct association between states with laxer gun laws and greater incidences of gun deaths, including homicides, suicides, and unintentional shootings.
However, the political discussion of gun regulation in America frequently drifts away from the facts. This footage of Gabby Giffords is what she wants you to see. Think about this Through November 22 of this year, there have been at least 607 mass shootings, which are defined as incidents in which at least four persons are shot.
Just 637 major shootings remain this year, making it the worst year on record since the organization Gun Violence Archive started keeping track of them in 2014. 690 mass shootings occurred in total in 2021.
With more than a month left in 2022, the number of mass shootings in the US is probably about to surpass the 610 recorded in 2020. The data’s trending pattern is what’s worse. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the rate of homicides involving firearms increased by 8.3% in 2021 compared to 2020.
Additionally, from 2020 to 2021, the rate of firearm suicide among those 10 years of age and older increased by 8.3%. Additionally, from 79% in 2020 to 81% in 2021, the proportion of homicides related to gunshot injuries increased, reaching its highest level in more than 50 years.
It doesn’t have to be this way, for sure. An extensive CNN research shows that nations that have passed measures to decrease gun-related deaths have seen considerable changes: Australia. Less than two weeks after the worst mass massacre in Australian history, the federal government put into place a new program that outlawed rapid-fire rifles and shotguns as well as standardized licensing and registration requirements for gun owners across the nation.
More than half as many Australians were killed by guns in the following ten years. According to a 2010 research, the government’s 1997 buyback program, which was a component of the overall reform, caused a 74% average decline in firearm suicide rates over the subsequent five years.
African nation. Following the implementation of new gun laws in July 2004 (the Firearms Control Act of 2000), the number of gun-related deaths nearly decreased over a ten-year period. The new regulations made getting a firearm considerably more challenging.
A New Zealand. After the 2019 killings at the Christchurch mosque, gun laws were quickly changed. The law would change, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said, just 24 hours after the incident, in which 51 people died. Less than a month later, the New Zealand parliament adopted a revision to the country’s gun laws that outlawed all military-style semi-automatic rifles.
Following a mass shooting in 1996, Britain tightened its gun regulations and outlawed the majority of private firearm ownership. As a result, over the following ten years, the number of gun deaths decreased by almost a quarter. However, America has a special relationship with guns, and our gun culture is unusual elsewhere. For the time being, it appears that the violent cycle will never end.
Recall that the House and Senate both passed the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act in June and that Biden then signed it into law. Since the 1994 assault weapons ban’s 10-year expiration, the collection of laws constitutes the most substantial federal effort to curb gun violence.
As he signed the legislation at the White House, Biden stated, “God willing, it’s going to save a lot of lives.” The package contains $750 million to assist states with the implementation and management of crisis intervention programs, including mental health, drug, and veteran courts. These programs can be utilized to handle red-flag initiatives.
Extreme Risk Protection Order rules are another name for red flag laws, which are governed by federal regulations. They provide judges the authority to take away firearms from anyone they deem to be a threat to themselves or others.
The law encourages states to submit juvenile records to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System, which would enable a more thorough background check for those wishing to purchase firearms between the ages of 18 and 21.
Additionally, more people who sell firearms as their main source of income must register as Federally Licensed Firearm Dealers, who must conduct background checks on potential purchasers before making a sale.
Anyone convicted of a domestic violence felony who is in a “continued serious relationship of a romantic or intimate kind” is prohibited from possessing firearms. However, if they haven’t committed any other crimes in the last five years, the law permits those found guilty of misdemeanor domestic violence offenses to regain their gun privileges.
In a press conference on Thursday, Biden promised to work with Congress “to try to get rid of assault weapons.” When asked if he intended to attempt it during the lame duck session, he responded, “I’m going to do it whenever – I’ve got to make that assessment as soon as I get in and start counting the votes.”
The lame-duck session of Congress begins next week with a lengthy to-do list that is heavily weighted toward passing the crucial government funding bill in addition to other matters of importance.
However, there are not enough votes to enact any gun control legislation, particularly the assault weapons prohibition that Vice President Biden has frequently advocated for. Furthermore, it is extremely unlikely that anything will be passed over the following two years given the likelihood of a divided Congress in the upcoming session.
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