Mass Shootings And Gun Deaths Continue Unabated In U.S.

Another mass shooting has made national news. This time it's in California, where a gunman killed 10 people and wounded 10 more (some of them critically).

But don't get the idea that this is a rare occurrence. According to the Gun Violence Archive, there have been 33 mass shootings this year -- and that's only for the first 22 days of the year. There have also been 2,552 deaths by gun violence.

Obviously, the pathetically weak gun law passed by Congress is having no effect on the epidemic of mass shootings and gun violence in this country. We need reasonable gun laws passed on a national level.

No state is immune to this violence -- not even the states with stricter gun laws. That's because if a dangerous person (criminal, terrorist, mentally ill, domestic abuser) can't get a gun in his/her own state, they can easily drive to another state and buy whatever gun they want -- and as much ammunition as they want. That's why the stricter gun laws must be national.

It doesn't have to be this way. There are already more guns in the country than people, and more are being sold every day. And in many states, there is little regard as to who can buy a gun and where they can carry it. Other developed nations don't have this problem, because they have sensible gun laws.

Congressional Republicans continue to whine about protecting the Second Amendment. That's just a rather feeble excuse. There are many things that could be done without violating that amendment, and some have already been ruled by the Supreme Court to be constitutional (like banning assault-style weapons and plugging the holes in the background check law).

Unfortunately, Republicans would rather whine about rights and offer meaningless "thoughts and prayers". Until this changes, the mass shootings and other gun violence will continue unabated. And thousands of innocent people will be killed unnecessarily.