Our Troubling Culture of Gun Violence
The Marin Independent Journal in California is to be applauded for recognizing that we not only have an easy gun availability problem in America; we have – as Gun Guys has frequently noted – a gun culture problem.
In a February 24th editorial, the Marin newspaper observes:
Fatal shootings have become so commonplace that it takes something truly horrific to get national attention.
Even then, after the outrage subsides, little is done about a level of carnage that is an aberration in the civilized world.
And even as we try to make sense of the latest wave of senseless killings, the body count keeps piling up.
Numb is the right word – and helpless. Too many people have given up in the face of the daunting money and self-proclaimed power of the gun lobby.
But given the death toll caused by a lax firearms policy in the United States, and a sub-culture that glorifies the gun, we can’t afford to surrender our safety and security.
The Marin Independent lucidly and persuasively addresses this point:
America is steeped in a culture of violence, which too often explodes into fatal shootings.
If handguns magically vanished, violence would not disappear, of course, but ready access to handguns - and the ability to keep them hidden until they are used - certainly doesn’t help.
It also should be clear that arming everyone is not the answer. That is why it is so troubling and discouraging that a dozen states are considering allowing concealed weapons on college campuses. Only Utah allows people with permits to carry guns on its nine public university campuses, according to USA Today. Many supporters cite the Virginia Tech massacre that left 33 people dead, including the gunman.
Our collective numbness to this form of violence is manifested by the lack of meaningful public debate, which is crucial for real change to happen. Gun-related violence and deaths must be viewed as a public health crisis - one that rips apart families and communities.
Too many people, including those running for president, seem willing to ignore this problem. The still-potent gun lobby’s relentless pressure is a big reason for the lack of political courage and leadership in the United States.
None of the major candidates running for president has made this an important issue. That is shameful and the silence speaks volumes about how we have failed as a society.
Need we say more?