Most Says It's More Important To Protect People From Gun Violence Than Protect Gun Rights

 

This chart reflects the results of a YouGov Poll -- done on December 16th of a nationwide sample of 11,836 adults.

The United States Still Averages More Than One Mass Shooting For Every Day

Another mass shootings is making headlines in the United States. The latest one is in Minnesota, where a lone gunman killed two children (ages 8 and 10) and wounded 14 more children and 3 adults. The victims were in a church having a mass before school started.

It has become obvious that there is no place safe from gun violence in the United States. Mass shootings have occurred in schools, churches, stores, work places, night clubs and bars, concerts, on streets, etc. And there is no state which is safe from them. They can (and do) occur anywhere at any time.

The right will claim (as they usually do) that the shooter had mental problems. That may be true. But all developed nations have citizens with mental problems, and none of them have the amount of mass shootings (and general gun violence that the United States has. Why? Because they have sensible gun laws and restrictions. They don't allow dangerous people to easily buy and possess guns.

Not all mass shootings make headlines in the national media as this latest shooting did. Note in the chart above that, while mass shootings are down slightly this year, the United States still has an average of more than one mass shooting for every day. That is inexcusable!

We know that some sensible gun laws could drastically reduce the number of mass shootings and gun deaths in this country. One example is having a strict background check law. No person should be able to buy a gun (of any kind) or receive one as a gift without first passing a background check. That check should deny a gun to anyone with a criminal record (including domestic abuse), anyone on a terrorist watch list, or anyone with a mental illness that has been deemed to be dangerous.

This would not deny any law-abiding citizen the right to purchase and own a firearm, and it is supported by an overwhelming majority of Americans (including gun owners). Sadly, Republican officials won't agree to it. They think guns should have more rights than innocent children and adults. I don't understand why, but they want to protect the right of dangerous people to legally buy any kind of gun they want.

This won't change as long as Republicans have enough clout in government to prevent sensible (and constitutional) gun laws. If you think enough innocent people have been massacred on the alter of gun worship, then think before you vote. Don't vote for any politician (of any party) that doesn't support sensible gun laws.

There Is No Place In The U.S. To Be Safe From Gun Violence

In the last couple of days, there have been two more mass shootings making the national news. In a Reno (Nevada) casino resort, a gunman killed three people and wounded three others. And in downtown New York City, a gunman killed four people (including an armed policeman) and critically wounded another.

While these are the first mass shootings to make the national news in a while, they are not an anomaly. So far this year, there has been 253 mass shootings in this country - more than one for every day. Sadly, mass shootings (a shooting in which at least four people are shot) are a common thing in this country.

It used to be that if you avoided certain high crime areas and didn't engage in high risk behaviors, then you were pretty safe in the United States. That is not the case anymore. The shootings can happen anywhere - retail stores, office building, workplaces, nightclubs, schools, churches, concerts, and any other places where people congregate. There is no place that can now be considered safe from gun violence anymore - not in large cities or small ones, not in blue states or red ones, and not in any region of the country. Innocent people are being gunned down all over the country.

It doesn't have to be that way. Other developed countries don't have anywhere near the level of gun violence that happens in the United States. That's because those countries have reasonable gun laws that keep guns out of the hands of dangerous people. 

It's different in the United States, where there are more guns that people. And our lax laws allow anyone (criminal, terrorist, or dangerously mentally ill) to legally buy any kind of gun they want - including assault weapons which can kill or wound many people in a short period of time. This is because Republican officials block any kind of reasonable laws that could make it harder for dangerous people to get a gun.

That's not likely to change anytime soon. Republicans control our national government, and they've made it clear they prefer to protect the rights of gun manufacturers and criminals over saving the lives of innocent citizens.

The gun violence carnage will continue until they are voted out of office. 

Trump Administration Will Allow Automatic Weapons To Be Turned Into Machine Guns

It was bad enough that the Republicans in Congress overturned the ban on assault weapons. It was bad enough the Republicans in Congress refused to plug the holes in the background check law. It was bad enough that the Republicans in Congress refused to pass any kind of reasonable (and constitutional) gun laws at all. But now, with the help of the Republican in the White House, they have gone even further.

Last week, the Trump Justice Department settled a lawsuit brought by the National Association for Gun Rights. In that settlement, the DOJ will allow the legal sale of "forced reset triggers" - devices that will allow semiautomatic weapons to fire rapid bursts of bullets. In effect, it will turn a semiautomatic weapon into a machine gun!

We already have far more deaths by guns and mass shootings than any other civilized country. No one else even comes close. This move by the Trump DOJ will make sure more mass shootings occur and many more gun deaths will happen. It will make life much more dangerous for the innocent citizens of all 50 states.

Making matters worse, because the device is not a gun, it can be bought anonymously by anyone on line without a background check - including terrorists, criminals, teens,  and the dangerously mental ill. Anyone who can get their hands on a semiautomatic can legally turn it into a machine gun.

I guess this shouldn't surprise anyone. The Trump administration and congressional Republicans have made it clear they think the rights of gun manufacturers are more important than the lives of American citizens. Now they are showing us there is no limit to the amount of gun deaths they will tolerate.

 

Gun Violence Continues In The U.S. (And Congress Ignores It)

Gun violence has not been in the national news lately, but it has not gone away. So far this year, there have been 4,805 people killed by guns, 8,296 people injured by guns, and 98 mass shootings. As the days grow warmer, we can expect all of those numbers to increase substantially.

And of course, the GOP-controlled Congress continues to ignore the problem.

The figures quoted are from the Gun Violence Archive.

The Epidemic Of Mass Shootings Continued In 2024

There were 501 mass shootings in the United States in 2024 (a shooting in which at least four people were shot - not counting the shooter). That's slightly less than in 2023, but it's not a reason to celebrate. There were still about one and a half mass shooting for every day on average.

This doesn't happen in any other developed nation. None of them even come close to the carnage allowed to happen in the United States. The sad part is that it doesn't have to be that way. A few reasonable gun laws could prevent most of those shootings - and it could be done without violating the Constitution's Second Amendment. 

Unfortunately, even though most Americans want those laws, it won't happen. It won't happen this year or the next because the government is controlled by Republicans. And Republicans have decided that it's more important to protect the right of criminals and other dangerous people to buy a gun than it is to save the innocent lives of Americans.

Expect 2025 to be a bloody one - with a ridiculous and unnecessary number of mass shootings (and gun deaths.

NOTE - the numbers in the chart above are from the Gun Violence Archive.

U.S. Still Averaging Over One Mass Shooting Every Day

 

There is another mass shooting making the national news. This time it's in a private christian school. A 15-year-old girl killed a teacher and a fellow student and injured several others before killing herself

I'm sure the congressional Republicans will send another truck load of thoughts and prayers, but that won't help those shot and it won't prevent other school shootings or mass shootings in the future. But they will do nothing to help prevent the deaths of innocent children and adults.

If we just look at the mass shootings (where at least four people have been shot), it might look like these shootings don't happen very often. But that is not true. Mass shootings did decline slightly this year, but they still average about 1.34 for every day of the year (according to the Gun Violence Archive). In any other developed country that would be unacceptable - but not in the United States.

U.S. politicians (mainly Republicans) have decided that its more important for criminals and other dangerous people to have access to the gun of their choice than to save innocent lives.

Meanwhile, a majority of the public would like to see stricter gun laws, and an overwhelming majority want to see the loopholes in the background check law closed - so criminals, terrorist sympathizers, abusers, and the dangerous portion of the mentally ill cannot buy or receive a gun.

Republicans claim they are protecting the right of Americans to own a gun. But no one is trying to deny any law-abiding citizen from purchasing or possessing a gun. We just want to make it harder for dangerous people to get one.

Republicans will also try to claim this teenage girl had mental problems. That doesn't really matter. The one thing she had in common with all other mass shooters is access to a gun. How and where was she able to get a gun?

It doesn't have to be this way. We shouldn't be leading the developed world in both mass shootings and gun deaths. But until voters get serious about preventing the shootings and deaths (instead of just offering "thoughts and prayers", it will keep happening at epidemic levels.

Politicians who want to protect the right of dangerous people to get a gun should be voted out of office.

Gun Ownership In The United States

 

The charts above are from the Gallup Poll. They surveyed 6,425 adults nationwide between 2019 and 2024, and the poll has a 1 point margin of error.

Americans Vote To Do Nothing About Gun Violence In The U.S.

So far in 2024, there have been 14,575 gun deaths and 455 mass shootings (about 1.44 every day) in the United States. The carnage is continuing, and the voters in this election don't seem to care.

They elected Republicans to control both houses of Congress and put Trump back in the White House. Those are the very people that have blocked all attempts to establish rational gun laws (including closing the loopholes in the background check law.

This means the epidemic of gun violence will continue unabated for at least another four years. And thousands of Americans will lose their lives unnecessarily.

The Mass Shooting In A Georgia School Is Just One Of Many

Another mass shooting is making the national news. This time it is in a Georgia High School, where a 14 year old killed four people (2 students and 2 teachers) and wounded several others. 

But that mass shooting (a shooting where at least four people are shot) is just one of many this year. Most of them don't make the national news. In the first 248 days of this year, there have been 385 mass shootings in the United States. That's an average of 1.55 mass shootings every day!

And once again, we are hearing Republicans offer up thoughts and prayers. But thoughts and prayers don't save innocent lives - and they don't stop or slow the mass shootings. The only thing that will do that is the passage of sensible gun laws.

Republicans oppose all gun laws and restrictions. They claim passing any gun laws will impinge of the right of citizens to buy and own a gun. That's a lie!

The right to buy and own a gun is not absolute. The Supreme Court has ruled that reasonable gun laws are constitutional - including who can buy a gun, where they can carry that gun, and what kind of gun can be bought or possessed. 

The court has ruled that criminals and other dangerous individuals may be restricted from buying or possessing a firearm of any kind. They upheld the background check law passed many years ago. But sadly, that background check law was full of holes, and allowed many dangerous people to purchase a gun without a background check. Republicans refuse to plug the holes in that law - even though between 80% and 90% of the public wants it done.

The 14 year old Georgia shooter had an assault-style weapon. That's not unusual any more. Many, if not most, mass shootings have been done with an assault weapon. Unfortunately, our politicians let the ban on those weapons expire (even though the Supreme Court had ruled it was constitutional). 

The ban on assault weapons needs to be reinstated. And any assault weapons allowed must be registered and required to have liability insurance in a significant amount. There is no legitimate reason to allow these kind of weapons to proliferate in our society.

I am not advocating anything that would violate the Second Amendment. But we need to pass reasonable and constitutional restrictions on guns that would keep them out of the hands of dangerous people while allowing decent and law-abiding citizens to own a gun.

That's not going to happen as long as Republicans have the power to block those laws. They must be voted out of power - and the coming November election is a great opportunity to do that. Vote for gun sanity. Vote for Democrats.

In Effect, The Supreme Court Has Legalized Machine Guns

 In the late 1920's and 30's, the criminal element in the U.S. found a very effective weapon to use against law enforcement (and citizens) - the machine gun. Congress realized that this could not be allowed to continue. In 1934, a law was passed to place an excise tax and registration requirement on machine guns. Since most Americans could not qualify for registration, the law, in effect, outlawed machine guns - and the country was safer.

But gun nuts are an ingenious lot, and over the years they came up with devices that would turn a semi-automatic weapon into a machine gun - allowing it to fire hundreds of rounds a minute with a single press of the trigger. In 1986, Congress again acted. They outlawed the modifications that turned a semi-automatic into a machine gun.

The came the invention of the "bump stock" - which again allowed a gun to shoot hundreds of rounds a minute with a single press of the trigger. And that resulted in the largest mass shooting tragedy in U.S. history.

On October 1, 2017, a mass shooting occurred when 64-year-old Stephen Paddock opened fire on the crowd attending the Route 91 Harvest music festival on the Las Vegas Strip in Nevada from his 32nd-floor suites in the Mandalay Bay hotel. He fired more than 1,000 rounds, killing 60 people^[a] and wounding at least 413. The ensuing panic brought the total number of injured to approximately 867.

Responding to that, The ATF, during the Trump administration, said the bump stock qualified as one of the outlawed devices under the law, and they outlawed them. It was a reasonable decision, and necessary to protect the lives of innocent civilians.

But a gun owner and licensed dealer in Texas didn't like the ban on bump stocks. He filed suit in federal court.

ON Friday, the Supreme Court issued a decision. They ruled that, on a technical point, the bump stock did not actually make a semi-automatic weapon a machine gun - and they overturned the ban. They were wrong!. Using a bump stock, in effect, does allow a weapon to fire as a machine gun!

Justice Sotomayor disagrees with the majority. She wrote:

"When I see a bird that walks like a duck, swims like a duck, and quacks like a duck, I call that bird a duck."

In other words, any device that makes a gun act like a machine gun has effectively turned that weapon into a machine gun.

The Supreme Court has just legalized the possession and use of machine guns in this country!

We already have loopholes in our background check law that allows anyone (even criminals) to purchase any kind of weapon they want. Now they will be able to weapon into a machine gun. That will cause the deaths of many thousands of innocent Americans (and law enforcement officers). And the 600 or so mass shootings each year will become even larger mass casualty events.

Don't expect the congressional Republicans to help rectify this terrible court decision.

Public Split On If Average Person Can Be Trusted With Gun

The charts above are from a YouGov Poll -- done between April 26th and 29th of a nationwide sample of 1,159 adults, with a 4 point margin of error.

Huge Support For Background Checks On ALL Guns Sales

The chart above reflects the results of the Economist / YouGov Poll -- done between April 14th and 16th of a nationwide sample of 1,574 adults (including 1,358 registered voters). The margin of error for adults is 3.2 points, and for registered voters is 3.1 points.

Lax Gun Laws Make Security At Outdoor Events Impossible

The recent shooting at the Kansas City celebration of winning the Super Bowl highlights a sad reality in American life. It has become impossible to provide effective security for citizens attending large outdoor events.

It shouldn't be, and it can't be blamed on police efforts. They do everything they can to make those events safe. But our government's failure to curb who can buy a gun (and what kind of gun they can buy) has made it impossible. 

Years ago, the government passed a background check law on gun purchases, but that tepid law had many holes in it - so many holes that anyone can effectively buy any kind of gun they want without actually having their background checked.

That's not what the American people want. 80% to 90% of the public want a strict background check law (and that is true even of gun owners). An effective law would prevent any dangerous person from purchasing a gun or receiving one as a gift, but the U.S. Congress (mainly Republicans) have blocked all attempts to pass such a law. 

They consider the right to own a gun more important than protecting the lives of American citizens - even though a strict background check law would not prevent law-abiding citizens from purchasing or receiving a gun.

They have also refused to outlaw the possession of assault rifles (the most dangerous guns police have to face). A previous outlawing of these guns proved it could be effective in reducing mass shootings and save lives. But they refused to renew that law, and mass shooting have exploded in both number and size.

There are other reasonable and constitutional restrictions that could help with safety and security, but Republicans have refused to consider ANY gun restrictions.

Attend a large outdoor event if you wish, but understand that (thanks to Congress) you could be putting your life in danger because it is impossible for the police to provide adequate security.

The Epidemic Of Gun Violence Continued In 2023 U.S.

The United States did not set records in the number of mass shootings or gun deaths in 2023. But it's nothing to be celebrated, because they came very close to both records -- 655 mass shootings (record 689) and 42,892 gun deaths (record 45,158). It's safe to say the pathetic gun bill passed by Congress early in the year did nothing to stem the tide of gun violence.

Congress (especially the Republicans) have shown they will do nothing to stop (or slow) the epidemic of gun violence. It will be up to the country's voters to stop it. Until voters make it a point to vote against those who refuse to pass reasonable (and constitutional) gun legislation, nothing will happen. 

Why Does The GOP Want Criminals To Legally Buy Guns?

The chart above is from the Gun Violence Archive.

Earlier this year Congress actually passed a measure concerning guns. It was a pathetic and toothless bill, and no one expected it to have any real effect on gun deaths and mass shootings. And that turned out to be true. It had no effect.

With a few days left in this year, the United States has had 650 mass shootings and experienced 42,253 gun deaths -- far more than any other developed country. It doesn't have to be this way.

Republicans try to convince voters that any gun law would violate the Second Amendment. That is simply a lie. The United States Supreme Court has never said the Second Amendment is unlimited. Just the opposite -- the court has ruled that reasonable restrictions are allowed (such as restricting where guns are allowed and restricting felons from possessing a gun).

One gun law that could actually be effective is a strict background check law. The U.S. already has a background check law, but it is weak and full of holes. Those holes allow anyone to purchase a gun without anyone checking their background -- and as many as 40% of gun sales may be done without a background check.

Over 80% of Americans, and a huge majority of gun owners, want to see a strict and effective background check law. The only thing stopping such a law are the Republicans in Congress.

Such a law would be constitutional, and it would go a long way toward keeping firearms out of the hands of dangerous people (like criminals). Why then do the Republicans oppose such a law? Do they really want to protect the right of a criminal to legally buy a gun?

A strict background check law would not impinge on the right of law-abiding citizens to buy and own a gun. They could easily pass a background check. The worst that could happen for law-abiding citizens is that they might have to wait a few days for the check to be completed, but they would be allowed a gun.

The only people affected by a strict background check are dangerous people -- criminals, terrorists, and the dangerously mentally ill. Those people should not have guns.

Some might say those people could still buy a gun on the black market. But it's much harder to buy a gun on the black market, and more dangerous because both the buyer and seller could go to prison for it. And it could be made even harder. It is not an excuse to allow dangerous people to easily and legally buy a gun.

A strict background check law could be effective in reducing both the number of gun deaths and the number of mass shootings. It could save thousands of innocent lives each year. But it won't happen until voters get serious about it, and vote the obstructionists out of office. 

I urge all voters of both parties to refuse to vote for any politician who opposes a strict background check law.

U.S. Is Averaging Over 57 Mass Shootings A Month

 

Another mass shooting is making national headlines. This time a right-winger in Maine killed 18 people and wounded over a dozen more. But that is just one of many mass shootings happening in this country. Most of them just don't make the national news.

As I write this, the United States has had 573 mass shooting this year - an average of 57.3 mass shooting each month. And there are still two months to go in the year.

No other developed nation has anywhere near this massive number of mass shootings, or deaths by guns (35,607 so far this year). 

Republicans in Congress are blocking any kind of solution to this problem. They claim to be protecting the Second Amendment right to possess a firearm. But that claim is specious. They want you to believe the right to own a gun is absolute, but no right in our constitution is absolute -- not even the right to vote or the right to free speech (and the GOP supports restriction on both of those).

The Maine shooter has some psychological problems in his past. Republicans will use that to claim the massive number of mass shootings and gun deaths is due to mental illness. That is a lame excuse at best. Other nations also have mentally ill people, and the number of mentally ill in the United States is no larger than in those countries. They just don't make it easy for the mentally ill to by or possess firearms.

Republicans also claim the shootings are due to the diminishing number of religious people in the country. But most European countries are less religious than the United States, and they don't have the problem with shootings.

Republicans have also tried to claim the shootings are due to the proliferation of violent video games -- another lame excuse. Other nations have the same video games without having the problems with mass shootings or gun deaths.

The truth is the United States has too many guns floating around in the country (significantly more guns than people in the country), and it is too easy for criminals and other dangerous people to buy and possess any kind of firearm they want (including weapons of war designed to kill as many people as possible in a short period of time).

It doesn't have to be this way. There are reasonable and constitutional solutions to the problem. While it may not be possible to completely eliminate mass shootings and gun deaths, they could be drastically reduced with some sensible gun laws.

The following measures would save many lives without violating the Second Amendment:

1. Close the holes in the national background check law. The current weak law allows too many people to avoid having to get a background check when purchasing a weapon. This failure just benefits criminals, since law-abiding citizens could easily pass a background check. And the measure is supported by over 80% of the population (including a significant majority of gun owners).

2. Ban assault weapons. These are the choice of most mass shooters. Other weapons of war are banned (machine guns, tanks, etc.), and so should assault-style rifles. Other weapons are better for hunting and self-defense. There was a ban on them for a few years, and the mass shootings were reduced. A new ban could accomplish the same.

3. Ban ammunition magazines holding more than 10 cartridges. The more a mass shooter has to reload, the better chance a person has of stopping him.

4. Red Flag Laws. This would allow the police to take guns away from people whose pose a credible threat to others.

These sensible and constitutional measures would save many thousands of American lives. Sadly though, none of them will happen as long as there are enough Republicans in government to veto them. These Republican politicians have sold their soul to the gun industry, and they would rather protect corporate profits than save American lives.

If you want to stop the carnage, then remember this when you go to the polls to vote.

Does The U.S. Love Guns More Than Lives?

 

The following is a letter to The New York Times by author Stephen King:

There is no solution to the gun problem, and little more to write, because Americans are addicted to firearms.

Representative Jared Golden, from Maine’s Second Congressional District, has reversed course and says he will now support outlawing military-style semiautomatic rifles like the one used in the killing of 18 people in Lewiston this week. But neither the House nor the Senate is likely to pass such a law, and if Congress actually did, the Supreme Court, as it now exists, would almost certainly rule it unconstitutional.

Every mass shooting is a gut-punch; with every one, unimaginative people say, “I never thought it could happen here,” but such things can and will happen anywhere and everywhere in this locked-and-loaded country. The guns are available and the targets are soft.

When rapid-fire guns are difficult to get, things improve, but I see no such improvement in the future. Americans love guns, and appear willing to pay the price in blood.

Why Do We Let Any Idiot Get A Gun In The United States?

As I write this, the media is talking about another shooting. This time it is the deaths of three Black Americans by a racist shooter in Jacksonville, Florida. While tragic, it is sadly just a commonplace occurrence in this country. Guns take the lives of hundreds every day in the United States.

Currently, there have been 28,284 gun deaths and 473 mass shootings (where at least 4 people were shot) this year. And both of those numbers are on a record pace with four months left in the year. Why is this happening? It doesn't happen in any other developed nation.

Republicans try to place the blame on anything but guns. They will tell you it's because of mental illness. Some may be, but not all -- and there is no more mental illness in the United States than in any other country.

They will tell you it's because of violent video games. But other nations have access to the same video games, and it is not causing an exorbitant number of deaths and mass shootings in those countries.

They will tell you it is because of the declining interest in religion in this country. But the European nations have even less interest in religion that American citizens do -- and it is not causing massive gun deaths and mass shootings there.

The obvious answer is because there are too many guns in this society (more than one for every citizen) and it's easy for anyone (regardless of how dangerous they are known to be) to get any kind of gun (and ammunition) they want.

Republicans will also tell you that passing stricter gun legislation would be a violation of the Second Amendment to the Constitution. That is simply a lie! The right to own a gun, like our other rights, is not absolute.

We have the right to free speech, but there are restrictions on it. You cannot yell "fire" in a crowded theater, and you cannot urge another to commit a violent act. And those restrictions are deemed constitutional.

We have the right to vote, but there are restrictions on it. Most states deny that right to criminals serving a sentence for their crime. And that restriction is deemed constitutional.

There are restrictions on guns that are constitutional and supported by a majority of Americans. One of these is a strict background check law that would deny the right to buy or receive a gun to those deemed to be violent (criminals, terrorists, domestic abusers, and some of the mentally ill).

Currently, there are large loopholes in the background check law. And many states don't report offenders as they are supposed to do. As many as 40% of gun buyers do so with going through a background check. That must be stopped, and over 80% of citizens (including gun owners) want it stopped. They want a stricter background check law that can be enforced.

It simply makes no sense not to do this. Who are the Republicans protecting by their opposition to a stricter background check law? It's not honest and law-abiding citizens. They could still purchase or receive a firearm under a stricter background check law. The only people Republicans are protecting are criminals and other dangerous people -- the people who do not have a right to own a firearm!

Republicans are wrong on this issue, and it's time for voters to make that clear. 

Court To Determine If Abusers Can Own Guns In Next Term

 A case to be heard by the Supreme Court in its next term (United States vs. Rahimi) will determine whether thousands of domestic abuse victims will be killed. New York Governor Kathy Hochul explains in the following op-ed for The New York Times:

The Supreme Court recently announced plans to take up the Rahimi case, which will most likely rely on the court’s recent Second Amendment decision, New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen. In that case, a majority led by Justice Clarence Thomas overturned New York’s concealed carry law that had been on the books for more than a century — claiming 21st-century gun laws should be consistent with an earlier time, when muskets were common firearms.

In doing so, the court stripped away a critical tool I had as governor to keep New Yorkers safe. In New York, we quickly responded with actions to try to prevent more deadly firearms than ever from flooding our communities, our businesses, our bars and restaurants and even our crowded subway cars. One stray word, or sharp elbow, could immediately have devastating, life-threatening consequences.

Now, in Rahimi, the Supreme Court will decide whether deadly firearms can flood the homes of domestic violence survivors. The case arrives at the court after a decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit in favor of abusers. The appeals court decided that government cannot prevent an abusive individual, against whom a court has issued a domestic violence protective order, from possessing a deadly firearm.

By striking down a federal law aimed at protecting survivors of abuse, the appeals court put forth an outrageous legal theory that claims individuals with domestic violence orders have a constitutional right to possess a gun. Using Justice Thomas’s historically focused argument from Bruen as precedent, the Supreme Court could rule that domestic violence survivors today deserve only the protections they had in the 18th century — a time before most women could own property or work outside the home, let alone vote.

The stakes could not be higher. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey indicates that about 41 percent of women and 26 percent of men in the United States have experienced sexual violence, physical violence or stalking by an intimate partner and reported being affected by it during their lifetime. According to U.S. crime reports, about one in five homicide victims is killed by an intimate partner, and over half of female homicide victims are killed by a current or former male intimate partner. . . .

The Supreme Court has a choice: It can lean into the dangerous Fifth Circuit theory that guns cannot be regulated for the purpose of protecting survivors of domestic violence, or it can uphold federal law that keeps guns out of the hands of dangerous individuals.

Before oral arguments are heard, there’s no way to tell which way the Supreme Court will rule. The precedent set by Bruen is extraordinarily troubling. Yet even within the court’s majority in Bruen, there was a split. Justice Thomas kept his focus on historical arguments. But a concurrence by Justice Brett Kavanaugh, in which Chief Justice John Roberts joined, left room for certain basic protections, noting that “properly interpreted, the Second Amendment allows a ‘variety’ of gun regulations.”

This concurrence helped inform New York’s response to Bruen. After New York State’s century-old gun law was overturned, I took immediate steps to restore protections from gun violence, including signing new laws to strengthen training and gun licensing requirements. In the spring of 2022, we bolstered our state’s red flag laws, getting guns away from people like domestic abusers who pose a risk to themselves or others and closing loopholes that made the tragedies in Buffalo and in Uvalde, Texas, possible. As a result, courts have issued roughly 9,000 extreme-risk orders of protection in the past year, up from 1,400 in the preceding two and a half years.

Depending on the scope of the court’s decision in Rahimi, these protections could be at risk as well. After a brief spike during the start of the pandemic in 2020, New York is gradually and steadily returning to prepandemic shooting levels and has one of the five lowest rates of firearm-related deaths. I’ve always said public safety is my top priority as governor, and I’m committed to using every tool at my disposal to keep our communities safe from gun violence.

An extreme, out-of-control Supreme Court put gun safety laws at risk in Bruen. Across America, survivors of domestic abuse will now wait in fear to see whether Justice Kavanaugh and his colleagues deem laws that protect survivors to “properly” interpret the Constitution.