The US has had a particularly bloody weekend. Eight “mass shootings” shook the country. But the top gun lobby NRA shows: the US is likely to remain the “world gun champion” for the foreseeable future – at any cost.
Once again the US is shocked. Again people were shot. But this time with unparalleled frequency. Last weekend, American police officers had to run amok or carry out major shootings particularly often. The independent Gun Violence Archive counted eight so-called mass shootings, ie shootings in which four or more people were injured or killed – not counting the shooter.
In no other industrialized country is the risk of being killed in everyday activities as high as in the US. Five people were shot near a boardwalk in the coastal town of Biloxi, Mississippi. In Louisville, Kentucky, a trip to a city park ended in death for two people. Four people were also injured, some seriously. The perpetrator or perpetrators are fugitives.
The blowout of a birthday party causes a stir
The murder of a 16-year-old girl’s birthday party in Dadeville, Alabama made international headlines. At least four people were killed and 28 were also injured, some of them life-threatening, said Jeremy Burkett of local police. One of the fatal victims is said to be the birthday boy’s older brother.
Four people were shot in a bar parking lot in Phoenix, Arizona. In Northridge, California, a man was killed when he painted gang graffiti on the wall of a store. Bystanders were also injured, as the fugitive perpetrator would have shot around with an Uzi, according to the police. And in Kansas City, Missouri, a 16-year-old was shot in the head. His crime: he had made a mistake at the door. Police say his parents asked him to pick up his siblings from a house on 115th Terrace in the northeastern part of town, but he went to a house on 115th Street instead. The boy is currently fighting for survival.
However, this weekend – as bloody as it was – is just a symptom of a bigger problem. Rampages and shootings are part of everyday life in the US. There are more guns in circulation in the United States than anywhere else in the world.
Without substantial tightening of the law, experts see no chance of a decrease in gun violence in the US. To do this, however, US President Joe Biden and his Democrats would have to rely on the willingness of Republicans in Congress to cooperate – and there is no sign of that at this point.
Many in the party are affiliated with the powerful National Rifle Association (NRA), a firearms lobbying group, and sometimes depend on campaign funds. Ironically, when the NRA gathered for its annual meeting in Indianapolis this weekend, prominent Republicans such as Donald Trump and Mike Pence also showed up.
For example, during the event, the governor of South Dakota shared her family’s secrets. Kristi Noem boasted in her speech that her “almost” two-year-old granddaughter was already armed with guns. “Little Miss Addie” will need the guns soon. “I want to assure you she already has a shotgun and a rifle, and she also has a little pony named ‘Sparkles.’ So the girl is ready,” the conservative politician added.
The speakers at the arms summit also commented on recent killings. Well-known arguments from the lobby were heard: the solution to the problem was not less, but more guns.
It would take “more good guys with guns than bad guys”. Many congressional speakers see the problem “only” in the frame of mind of the shooters. It had nothing to do with guns. So-called background checks to check buyers are rejected. That could hurt sales, critics say, accusing the NRA of hypocrisy.
More than 5,300 deaths from gun violence
The numbers speak a clear language. The Gun Violence Archive already counts 162 “mass shootings” and nearly 5,300 deaths from gun violence in 2023. If suicides are included, the figure is a staggering 12,360 deaths.
Biden reacted with horror to the renewed bloodshed over the weekend and again called for stricter gun laws in the United States. “What has become of our country if children can no longer go to a birthday party without fear? If parents have to worry every time their children go to school, to the cinema or to the park?” And so the president announces the anxious prospect of the next 48 hours.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
