On March 27, 2023, there was yet another mass shooting at an elementary school in Nashville, Tennessee, resulting in the death of six people, including three children. This latest event has once again sparked conversation about the long-term debate over political actions in regards to gun control.
The 2nd Amendment of the U.S. Constitution protects an individuals right to possess a firearm. That doesn’t mean, however, that people have the freedom to release open fire in any capacity. Therefore, the topic of gun ownership has become a very polarizing debate in the United States. According to the Gun Violence archive, there have already been 131 mass shootings since the beginning of 2023. The conflict surrounding gun ownership thus lies in whether the government is doing enough to prevent the next mass shooting.
In 2021, Tennessee allowed adults 21 and older to carry handguns without a need for a permit that requires a background check and proper training. After a lawsuit, Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti proposed a deal to allow 18-20 year olds to carry handguns. This agreement was approved on Monday, the same day of the Nashville elementary shooting. Even with recent events, Republican lawmakers are still pushing this bill.
Gun violence is not just a Tennessee problem. Just in the last decade, the two worst mass shootings in modern day American history occurred. The worst mass shooting happened back in 2017: the Las Vegas Strip massacre killed 58 and injured 546 people. The shooter was reported to have 23 firearms in his hotel room, with 19 more at home. And in 2016 the second worst mass shooting occurred at Pulse nightclub in Orlando, which led to 49 deaths and 53 injuries. The handgun, according to authorities, was legally purchased.
Firearm related deaths have surpassed every other leading cause of death for children between ages 1-19. This includes motor vehicle accidents and cancer.
Many Republicans argue that gun control laws impend on the right for law-abiding citizens to buy, own or use a firearm. In fact, they believe that if gun control laws are passed, criminals will simply obtain firearms illegally. However, according to Statista, 93 of the mass shootings between 1982 to March of 2023 involved a weapon that was legally obtained.
Gun Legislation
In June of last year, President Biden signed the first major gun safety legislation in nearly 30 years. This bill gave states the incentive to pass red flag laws, allowing groups to petition courts to remove weapons from people deemed a threat to themselves or others. In addition, the law prevents those convicted of domestic abuse from obtaining a fun, and expands background checks for people between the ages of 18 to 21. But in states like Tennessee, many of these policies are not being implemented.
It is important to also keep in mind that many policymakers are being funded by the National Rifle Association. Therefore, it is fair to assume they are not likely to vote on a bill that would create stricter gun laws.
Senators with the highest funding from the NRA:
- Utah, Mitt Romney: $13,645,387
- North Carolina, Thom Tillis: $5,117,796
- Iowa, Joni Ernst: $3,688,078
- Florida, Marco Rubio: $3,303,355
- Indiana, Todd Young, $2,902,182
The US’s firearms mortality rate is nearly 7% larger than any other country. So, what are other countries doing better? In Australia, the government paid their citizens to sell their guns to the government, which cut gun-related deaths nearly in half. Japan requires people to attend an all-day class, pass a written test and and achieve at least 95% accuracy in a shooting test in order to obtain a gun.
Although there is no clear answer on what policies or efforts could be implemented. The fact that there has already been 131 mass shootings in this year alone is awful. The fact that mass shootings have been shown to be increasing is also a scary thought, and something more needs to be done.
Why Republican politicians are more concerned about drag queens and literature in schools than the thousands of students that experience a school shooting is appalling. For the party of small government, what makes drag shows and books more dangerous than guns. Thoughts and prayers are not enough anymore.
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