On Sunday September 30th, a horrific mass shooting took place. The events unfolded at a Las Vegas country concert that resulted in at least 59 deaths and hundreds more injured. The police discovered 23 firearms in his hotel room and an additional 19 in his home, once more raising the nation-wide debate on gun control and gun-related violence in America. America’s gun culture is unlike any other on the global scale, while Americans reportedly own 48% of the estimated civilian guns worldwide.
Below are a few key facts about gun violence in America:
- Gun ownership leads to more gun-related deaths.
According to a study that oversaw 30 years of data featured on Mother Jones, every 1% increase of a state’s gun ownership also increased every 1% of gun related homicide rates. Additionally, owning firearms increases the likelihood of violence and leads to higher rates of homicide, accidental death, and suicide.
- Gun homicide rates are about 25% higher in America than other developed countries.
The above statement was reported by CNN, originally based off of the World Health Organization’s data. Additionally, other developed countries with access to guns also have an increase in gun-related deaths. However, the United States still outperforms these countries:
- The National Rifle Association is a powerful lobbyist.
The NRA has tremendous influence on right-wing politics, and is considered as one of the most powerful lobbies in government. Since the late 1960s, the NRA has maintained the stance that strict regulation in gun ownership is the first step to the end of all gun ownership in the US. Less guns means less money.
The NRA imposes the belief that gun ownership is tied to the ideals of the second amendment and American pride. In the eyes of many gun enthusiasts, the possibility of gun regulating laws strips them away of these rights. According to Vox news:
“Any time there’s an attempt to impose new forms of gun control, the NRA rallies gun owners and other opponents of gun control to kill these bills. These gun owners make up a minority of the population: anywhere from around 30 to around 40 percent of households, depending on which survey one uses. But that population is a large and active enough constituency, particularly within the Republican base, to make many legislators fear that a poor grade from the NRA will end their careers.”
As a result, many politicians are afraid of the NRA’s influence and of losing their constituents. Even though there is abundant legislation on gun control, much of it does not get passed into law, and existing gun laws remain fairly loose on the national level.
- Not all firearm sellers are licensed by the federal government.
By law, all licensed gun sellers have to run background checks. However, there do exist non-licensed gun sellers where this does not apply, and in most cases sell firearms at gun shows. According to the US Department of Justice:
“…individuals prohibited by law from possessing guns can easily obtain them from private sellers and do so without any federal records of the transactions.”
This is referred to the “gun show loophole” but specifically deals with individuals who trade, buy, or sell guns with one another. Due to this, whether or not a background check must be performed before an individual has access to a firearm is regulated at the state level. Currently, only 19 states require background checks on the private sell of guns.
- Guns kill nearly 1,300 children every year.
According to the Journal Pediatrics, around 5,700 children are hospitalized for a gun-related injury per year. The study also determined that the rate of gun-attributed homicides among children is higher in the Midwest and in Southern states. Some of these states are also known to have the most lenient gun laws in the country. Additionally, The Law Gun Center to Prevent Gun Violence reports that many of the states with the worst gun death rates are in the South.
By: Nadia Lopez