Mass shootings in the US

Let’s shift our focus for a while from things happening in the country. Two deadly shootings took place in America at two Walmart stores in a span of just two weeks. The first one took place in Mississippi where two were killed.

A disgruntled former Walmart employee started shooting and two employees were killed. The shooter surrendered to police when confronted. The second was deadlier. Twenty confirmed dead and 26 wounded at a Walmart store in El Paso, Texas. It has all the makings of a hate crime directed towards immigrants.

A document was posted online where the author expresses hate over immigrants particularly Hispanics for “taking away jobs” and expressed fear that Texas would turn into a “Democrat stronghold”. Republicans were also criticized for being too cooperative in terms of immigration. The shooter is a 21-year-old Caucasian and is also in custody.

Politicians from both parties immediately condemned the incident, with Democrats immediately reviving the debate on gun control in America. We know that gun laws in America are quite loose when it comes to purchasing firearms.

Texas has one of the most relaxed gun laws in the US. There are situations where a license or permit is not required. A license is only required if one plans to carry a concealed firearm or to carry it openly for everyone to see. It is noteworthy that no civilian engaged the shooter in a shootout despite the saying that “everyone in Texas carries a gun”.

We have a totally different situation. People are killed on almost a daily basis throughout the country. Although our laws regarding gun purchases or possession are relatively stringent, it is unclear if the killers used a licensed firearm because they were not caught.

Killing seems to have gone unchecked unlike the deadly campaign against illegal drugs. The president himself easily threatens anyone he dislikes, or is supposedly not doing his job, or is involved in corruption. This seems to have molded the culture of impunity currently sweeping across the land and is very likely to continue. We may not have mass shootings but we do have targeted individuals.

There is certainly no end to the debate over gun control in America because of the powerful pro-gun lobby. The National Rifle Association is one of the biggest lobbyists during election time and has a powerful voice when it comes to those who want to question the Second Amendment of the Constitution. Even the wording of the said amendment is a debate in itself. I’m just wondering how many mass shootings it will take before they seriously take a good look at the Second Amendment and its current relevance.