(17j) More deaths in USA as a result of weak gun laws
Although I hoped there would be fewer mass shootings in the USA than previous years, I always feared many more may come. And thus, after a silence on gun violence after previous posts (see numbers 17 such as 17e and 17i in which I already referred to other mass shootings that killed), here another article on my blog after another two recent shootings in the USA that killed more than 30 people, including many children - some of below texts were first publications on my Facebook account.
The solution? Fewer weapons, and certainly semi-automatic guns should not be available. But, opposition to stricter gun laws is strong, certainly in certain mainly rural and conservative states so little can change and more evidence that weapons in society kill is likely to become available after more future shootings. Indeed, first comes a period that supporters of free gun-ownership can proof that supporters of stricter gun laws are wrong and thus that more weapons in societies protect people. Indeed, the Supreme Court already cancelled stricter gun laws in New York state so more people can walk around with concealed weapons, a judgment that has consequences throughout the USA. When more weapons may proof not to be the solution, than stricter gun laws may become obvious as the solution against gun violence although the transition to fewer weapons may be violent.
Buffalo, New York state
15 May 2022
A violent one and a half week started in Buffalo, a town in New York state. Here a young white man killed 10 people in a racially-motivated shooting. Indeed, hateful figures have easy access to guns, including semi-automatic weapons that should only be part of the army and special forces of police to protect us from people who have such weapons. This is not the first racially-motivated shooting as before there was a shooting in a church in Charleston during which nine Black Americans were killed by a white supremacist.
But, such violence by white supremacists can also turn against other white people who protest for a fairer world such as in Kenosha where two people were killed and a third wounded; later the shooter was cleared of these killings (see also below as additional notes what I published at the time on FB). An extreme example of white supremacy violence towards other white people who wanted to discuss how to achieve a fairer multicultural world happened in Norway when a mad white man killed 77 people and wounded hundreds (when you read about it than you may wonder why the police was so slow in their responses that allowed such a high number of victims).
But, it didn't end in Buffalo as only 10 days later, an even worse mass shooting happened in Texas.
Kenosha - A white boy with a gun killed other white people who protested for more respect for black people during Black Lives Matter (BLM) manifestations. The young man drove from one state to another and killed protesters because he was afraid of him as they wanted to take away his weapon because police didn't act against him. Guns shouldn't make people feel unsafe but they do when carried by ordinary people and not qualified professionals.
19/11/2021
It is now official: white people can kill other white people (if the victims were black the article would mention their skin colour) when they protest against police brutality against black people.
Because, in a normal country police would shoot anyone who walks around with a semi-automatic rifle because they would rightly believe it is a terrorist. Not in the USA where white people can walk away freely after they kill people. Of course, a non-white person would have been shot death by police, even for only carrying and not using a weapon during a demonstration.
The young man says he felt threatened as people approached him and thus he shot; in normal countries people would be honoured when they tried to stop a potential terrorist with a gun.
Still, many white people don't seem to understand why non-white people are angry as this illustrates differences in treatment of people by authorities.
20/11/2021
Interesting to know whether this was an all-white jury. Innocent over the whole line for carrying a weapon and using it to kill people. Unbelievable. So sorry for the parents of those killed and injured. But, what was to be expected when you read the reaction of the judge during this trial?
To change a system, sometimes revolution is needed, even when few people like violence as they know it kills.
20/11/2021
The Kyle Rittenhouse versus his victims case. An article about why this will further divide the USA as two opposing groups defend or condemn the judgment. Even a judge chooses side when he decided the victims should be ignored.
Uvalde, Texas state
25 May 2022
In Uvalde, a small town in Texas, another shooting at a school killed 21 people, of which 19 children.
Texas where legislation is made to stickup a middle finger to those who want stronger gun laws. The article in the link shows how Texas brought into law legislation that favours gun ownership and that people carry weapons with them. And thus a man was able to buy weapons on the day he turned 18 to murder children and teachers before he was shot and killed.
Now certain Americans will claim people need even more guns so they could have shot the murderer. They will also say to pray for the victims. After a next shooting they will repeat this again.
Texas yields what it harvest. Allow more relaxed weapon laws and expect more deaths. As long as people continue to vote for lawmakers who want more guns, they can expect that next time their children may be killed.
The second amendment was created so white people could carry weapons to kill the original population, known as Indians. Now weapons kill the children of today's Americans.
26 May 2022
After the UK had its own mass school killing in Dunblane primary school, Scotland in 2016, gun ownerships became much stricter that included a ban on the private ownership of handguns, and no other school shooting happened.
Compare with the USA where after each mass killing, whether in schools, churches or other public places, the gun lobby informs more guns are needed so the good guys can kill the bad guys. And thus they suggest that teachers carry weapons so they can kill anyone who enters the school with a weapon.
More weapons in society a solution? The Scottish case shows it is not, although that doesn't exclude that people kill as also knives and hands can be used.
27 May 2022
The United States of America. Once it was the country where everything was possible if you believed strongly it is possible.
Today the USA is more the country of fatalism where people question when and where will be the next massacre.
And no, it is not true that only the NRA is responsible because it holds the Republicans in their grip, the Republicans themselves, and their voters believe that weapons are the solution for a weapons crisis. It keeps them in power and thus they block any solution, no matter how small the restriction in gun ownership.
Quote from the article: "As government is for the living, and not for the dead, it is the living only that has any right in it.”. Thus, society should change according the current and possible future situation while the past can teach us how to do things better. "Today’s America is sacrificing the living in the name of the dead of two centuries ago.". Indeed, the second amendment needs to be actualized according today's situation that includes semi-automatic weapons that didn't exist in the past, the second amendment is not written for the dead.
28 May 2022
Schools in Uvalde have strict security rules as the article mentions, including police officers. Still, Donald Trump at the NRA (National Rifle Association) meeting said that "... every school building should have a single point of entry, strong exterior fencing, metal detectors and hardened classroom doors, and every school should have a police officer or armed guard on duty at all times."
What he describes is a prison, or a bunker where children are told to feel protected, unless a person with a gun enters the building and they can't leave. Still, the gun lobby had a god's gift during their meeting when a woman with a gun killed a man who was shooting at a group of people. Of course, no guns would mean no or fewer shootings because people would question anyone who carry a gun. The USA, a society living in fear. That is also a reason why police shoot easily when they stop drivers as they fear the driver may also carry a gun and kill the police first.
01 June 2022
Sarcasm used to condemn the NRA leader who can only offer "thoughts and prayers" after each mass killing by guns in the USA.
Of course, NRA leader LaPierre can also offer (read sell) more weapons for protection so good guys and girls can kill the bad guys and girls of whom some may need mental health care that is insufficient available because it is underfunded in the USA; I think it is underfunded because too much of such help is also bad for weapons sales as mainly gun advocates don't want to invest in mental health care. And don't forget, many of those who claim they are the good guys against the mad bad guys may become the bad guys themselves when society wants to remove their beloved guns.
I have written before about the NRA and its supporters who think they need to defend freedom from the "leftists" who they think may take away their freedom. That makes these gun supporters so dangerous.
After the massacres
After the Uvalde shooting, children and parents spoke before Congress about the shooting and the effect it had on the children. One testimony by a girl is disturbing as it details the cold-blooded actions of the gunman while her father informs the attack changed his daughter.
12 June 2022
On 11/06/2022, many people in the USA took to the streets to demand actions and stricter gun laws to prevent more massacres by guns. Also President Joe Biden and Vice-President Kamala Harris spoke about the need to take actions by strengthening gun laws so it becomes less likely that mad persons can buy weapons. That doesn't mean they want to forbid that people can carry guns but at least semi-automatic weapons should be banned and people have to be sufficiently grown-up such as being 21 years with personality check before they can buy weapons.
These marches can have an effect but I fear many more need to be marched before legislation will change sufficiently. Because mad people think it is normal that such weapons can be carried around in public places. Forbid those weapons and many of those "good" guys and girls may flip and defend violently their right to carry weapons, any weapons. This is also the reason why I understand that the real good guys and girls need guns to defend them against the self-proclaimed good guys and girls.
23 June 2022
But then, shockingly, the Supreme Court, conservative Republican judges versus liberal Democratic judges, decided that gun laws in New York state that placed strict restrictions on firearms outside the home are unlawful. These laws prevented most people to carry a weapon hidden for others. Only persons with a reason such as those who work for law enforcement were allowed to carry weapons out of the view of others. Now the Supreme Court decided these laws are against the second amendment of the Constitution as they restrict free gun ownership. Let us hope we will not see an increase in weapon use in public spaces. This while recently a man threatened to kill Supreme Court justice Brett Kavanaugh, something that is more difficult when gun laws exist that makes it more difficult to have a gun. Now Supreme Court judges need protection and thus live more like in a prison. The few legislation that existed in certain American states to reduce violence, whereby these laws didn't forbid that people have a gun at home, are no longer possible in individual states so carrying around weapons is now acceptable again. Unbelievable for Europeans. And I fear police will fear the citizens even more than in the past.
24 June 2022
In the House of Representatives, legislators voted for more restrictions but people feared that the Senate with its 50 Republicans and 50 Democrats will not agree to gun law changes. But, surprisingly and after many days of discussions, a number of Republicans voted together with Democrats for (moderate) stricter gun laws although Democrats find those laws do not go far enough such as the age to buy guns is still 18 years unless the person is considered unstable. Still, the protests to demand stricter gun laws seemed to have had some effect as it took about 30 years after the previous in time limited stricter gun laws to have a moderate toughening at federal level because Republicans who will stop their political career dared to vote for these new laws. Still, let us hope this is not all in vain as the law mentions it "... encourages states to remove guns from people considered a threat" because only the day before the Supreme Court removed the power of individual states to take actions (see above).
In conclusion
Let us hope this school massacre in Texas was the last one. Because the mass shootings and deaths of children by weapons is terrible and thus we should not forget the innocent young victims from this atrocity, and the many others in the past. As Americans often refer to God, let us hope that God brings clarity to the American public on this subject. Unfortunately, the God-fearing Americans are those who want easy access to weapons. And thus the real good people need them to protect them from those who want to carry weapons.
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