by Lynn Mandaville
In Washington, D.C., there is an independent agency called The Gun Violence Archive. It is non-partisan, affiliated with no political party, PAC, or movement.
It is an online archive that collects statistics daily about, among other acts of gun violence, the mass shootings reported and verified by law enforcement, media, government, and commercial agencies.
Today, Jan. 23, the Archive says that the past weekend’s mass shooting in Monterey Park, CA, was the 39th this calendar year.
If my most basic algebra is correct, using the Archive’s numbers, this means there have been 1.63 mass shootings per day so far in 2023, which could be extrapolated out to 595 such mass shootings by the end of the year. (If you double-check my math and find errors, my apologies. Numbers have never been my strong suit.)
By definition, a mass shooting is one in which there are at least four victims, NOT including the perpetrator, either killed or injured.
The shooting over the weekend in Monterey Park has had 11 fatalities so far.
So where do we begin the argument again? Again? Again? Again?
In no other developed nation on the planet does this level of insanity exist.
None.
In no other developed nation on the planet does the number of individually owned firearms exceed the population of that nation.
None.
Yet the NRA continues to perpetuate the myth that anyone wanting common sense gun reform is “out to take away your guns.”
And a misguided portion of the country believes that any attempt to stem the tide (an epidemic, according to the CDC) of death and disfigurement by firearms is a movement to undo the Second Amendment of the United States Constitution.
Both of the previous statements are absolutely untrue.
A UChicago Harris/AP-NORC poll in August of 2022 determined that while 71% of Americans favored stricter gun laws, 52% believed that it was both important to prevent mass shootings while protecting the ability of people to own guns for personal protection.
According to this poll, there seems to be a schizophrenic aspect to citizens’ philosophies about guns. There are conflicts where the issue of who should be able to buy guns intersects with whether certain types of guns should be lawful in the first place.
With this kind of conflict, coupled with the ability of gun lobbies to buy the support of legislators who favor more and deadlier guns available to the buying public, it seems we’ll never stem the tide of violent gun death in the United States.
Twenty-one percent of people polled said they had personally been, or had a family member or close friend who had experiences with gun violence in the last five years. Twice that number believed they would be the victim of such violence in the next five years.
When I lived in Wayland it was rare to hear of gun crime in our isolated area of Allegan County. Far more frequent were incidents of gun violence in Grand Rapids and its suburbs.
Here in AZ, our nightly news reports at least two murders, suicides, or gun violence involving police each day in Phoenix. It’s been only four months since we had an active shooter two miles from our home at an Amazon warehouse. Shoot-outs with police in Chandler, the Phoenix suburb where we live, happen a few times per year.
There is no safe haven from gun violence anywhere any more.
Our government is full of impotent men and women who fail us session after congressional session.
It is only a matter of time before you and I become part of that percentage who experience personal involvement as victims of gun violence in the next five years. Or has it happened to you already?
Until the next ungodly act of gun violence, which statistically will happen within 0.63 days of this writing, God (or whomever) help us all.
Post Script: Since I wrote this last night (1.23.23) there were two more mass shootings, one in Half Moon Bay, CA, and one in Des Moines, IA. On one of the morning shows today, statistics almost identical to mine above were shared with the viewing nation. They cited their source as The Gun Violence Archive, just as I did.
The exact number of dead in mass shootings so far this year is 69. To view the chilling details for yourself about gun violence and its consequences, you can Google The Gun Violence Archive. Check the increases in all categories from year to year.
It would seem Charlie Brown of Peanuts fame has summed up our future saying, “we’re doomed.”
Hello,
Rather simple. The right to bare arms shall not be infringed. Do you recall that from the esteemed document? Perhaps we should look to the absence of God in America. The glorification of violence put out by the liberal film industry. Or the prescription drugs that are put into our children. Multifaceted issue that has little to do with firearms. Perhaps we should be more concerned with the fentinall crisis that is killing Americans by the bushel. Incidentally, much is brought in by illegal aliens via our southern border. All just my opinon and my choice.
Mrs Mandeville you can see from this comment this is where the problem lies.What a bunch of BS from the CINO, I believe this is the worst comment I’ve ever read. What a joke!!
Darling, You devastated my self eestem…. how, oh how can I look myself in the mirror now. My opinon, my choice.
Darling? Sorry CINO but I don’t roll that way but if that’s your cup of tea the pope is ok with it.
VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Francis criticized laws that criminalize homosexuality as “unjust,” saying God loves all his children just as they are and called on Catholic bishops who support the laws to welcome LGBTQ people into the church.
“Being homosexual isn’t a crime,” Francis said during an exclusive interview Tuesday with The Associated Press
Are you sure…….? I estimated you would celebrate diversity. My opinion, my choice.
I think until this issue is addressed at the federal level, there’s not much hope for resolution. And there are plenty of folks that don’t want it solved. We know from the gun violence in Chicago and New York that it is far too easy in this country to buy guns in other other locales. The majority of Americans would support more gun regulation, but there doesn’t seem to be much effective movement in that direction. The NRA, despite its well documented problems recently, remains a very powerful lobby, supported in part by gun manufacturers. More guns than citizens in the U.S. Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer has stated her intent to push for closure of background check loopholes and the enactment of safe storage laws. Maybe that will incrementally help a bit, but that will be hard to measure, and easy to circumvent. USA! USA! We’re Number One!
I agree with David.
We all have the right to bare arms. It’s seen a lot in the summer and is on display on a regular basis when you watch female news presenters regardless of the season.
I also support the right to arm bears. Do that and the annual requests for bear permits will plummet.
Thanks Enimigo….I meant Amigo.
AZ,
In your words, you have identified a problem. Hypothetically if you had the ability to take care of the problem how would you do it? Please list them in order of importance.
Cheers!!
Mr. Wilkins,
How many times do I have to list all the things I would do if I had the power to do so? Every time I write a piece about gun reform someone asks me for exactly that, which I have supplied at least twice, and maybe more often.
Check the archives and you will see that I do have a list of what should be done, in order of priority.
One can only imagine………….
I can easily see where you are either out right lying or totally ignorant of the reality of the culture of take them guns away. I do not think the latter. Beto O’Rourke said it on Democrat Debate. A National debate where Beto, Booker, Kamala and Biden all referenced either a mandatory buy back or out right confiscation. You say that the opinion that the left is trying to undo the 2d is untrue. 5 years ago, Retired Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens called for a repeal of the Second Amendment in a New York Times op-ed. So I ask you which is it, poppy cock or are you not being honest with your readers.
The sage from AZ has spoken. As usual, she and the anti-gun lobby can’t stand Americans to be able to defend themselves.
That pesky 2nd Amendment keeps getting in the way… if we just got rid of it! Good luck with that. I doubt real Ammericans who believe in the Constitution will agree.