The United States is currently having about one mass shooting every day (a shooting where at least four people are shot). That's not just ridiculous and tragic, but the U.S. is the only country where that happens. The reason it happens is because it's very easy for anyone to buy any kind of firearm they want in this country -- even if they are a terrorist, a criminal, or a dangerously mentally-ill person.
We have a federal background check law for those wanting to buy a gun, but that law is full of holes -- and more than 40% of the guns sold each year in this country are sold legally without a background check being done (through gun shows, the internet, or private sales). An effort was made to plug these holes in the law following the shooting of over 20 6 and 7 year olds and their teachers in Newtown, Connecticut -- but it was defeated in Congress.
It was defeated in spite of the fact that nearly 90% of Americans favored background checks for ALL gun sales. And the percentage of those in favor of plugging the holes in the background check law has not gone down since then. Currently about 85% of all Americans want it to be the law that all gun buyers should be subject to a background check -- and that includes 87% of those with a gun in their home, and 79% of all Republicans. In fact, more than three-quarters of every demographic group in this country wants that.
Why then, won't the United States Congress pass a law requiring a background check on all guns sales? Frankly, the only reason I can think of is that a majority of them have been bought and paid for by the gun manufacturers (through the NRA). If that wasn't true, they would follow the will of more than 8 out of every 10 Americans, and plug those holes.
The chart above was made with information from a recent Pew Research Center survey -- done between July 14th and 20th of a random national sample of 2,002 adults, with a margin of error of 2.5 points for the full sample. The margin of error is between 3.4 points and 5.2 points for the individual groups.
When Congress failed to act in accordance with the people's wishes on background checks it became obvious we had lost our democracy.
ReplyDeleteThere is plenty of evidence that indicates that we don't live in a democracy. I think it is simply a matter of that.
ReplyDeleteBut I have to admit to being impressed with the NRA. I wish the Democratic Party would learn a lesson from them. They've managed to move the discussion so far to the right that even when they lose, they win. The same is largely true of the Republicans. The Democrats have been fools thinking that moving to the right will cause the Republicans to moderate. It's just the opposite. And that's the same way it has worked out for the the Labour Party in the UK. Maybe if we had been pushing for a guaranteed minimum income, we wouldn't be fighting over food stamps now.
As for the NRA, we should rename it the Nation Gun Manufacturers Association. I know a lot of NRA (or NGMA) members who disagree with their policies, but still proudly send their checks. Idiots.