General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region Forums"America's gun problem is so much bigger than mass shootings"
There is a stark racial disparity in gun violence.
Much of Americas day-to-day gun violence is concentrated in Americas poorest, most racially segregated neighborhoods places with high rates of unemployment, struggling school systems, and high levels of mistrust between police officers and community members.
African Americans, who represent 13% of the total population, make up more than half of overall gun murder victims. Roughly 15 of the 30 Americans murdered with guns each day are black men.
This is the second part of a series of Guardian stories regarding gun violence in America. Yesterday's story discussed mass shootings and noted that for the Obama administration and a group of Sandy Hook parents the AWB wasn't a priority because it wouldn't make much difference. Today's story makes the point (among many) that the vast majority of firearm murders in the US disproportionately impact African American males. Link - https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/jun/21/gun-control-debate-mass-shootings-gun-violence
Matrosov
(1,098 posts)As I keep saying, this should be a 24/7/365 effort. Is the gun lobby only active whenever there is a mass shooting in the news? Of course not. Then why do so many of us fall asleep when it comes to the subject of every-day gun violence?
HereSince1628
(36,063 posts)Areas in which 'So Many of Us' don't live and don't think about.
It's only when the shootings take place outside of the areas where they have become 'local news background', involve other than the usual race of victims, or involve so many people that they are newsworthy.
Alex4Martinez
(2,193 posts)So, yeah, it makes sense that gun and other forms of violence impact them.
HereSince1628
(36,063 posts)In liberal, dare I say, even a state viewed from afar as 'progressive' state as WI is, there are worse rates.
In WI a black man is 30, yes THIRTY, times more likely to be shot than a non-Hispanic white man.
And evidence from sites keeping score, such as shootingtracker.com and massshootingtracker.org show that across America well more than half of the multiple homicides that meet LE and FBI criteria as 'mass-shootings' the shooter isn't even known by name and consequently can't be known to be a convicted felon, a mentally disordered person or a terrorist.
What we know are the victims. And that there are way too damn many of those.
Lee-Lee
(6,324 posts)It's a symptom of poverty and a failed drug policy.
HereSince1628
(36,063 posts)maxsolomon
(33,251 posts)they also facilitate making anger into violence - instantly, cheaply and efficiently.
ironic that so many 'responsible' gun owners have had their weapons stolen. every gun starts out legal.