A look at some facts. Jason Riley reported in the 6/1/22 Wall Street Journal, that 54% of the gun related deaths in 2020 were suicides, while less than 1% of gun deaths were a result of mass shootings. That does not mean that all those deaths were not tragic. Of course they were. Riley also notes that gun ownership is more common in rural areas than in cities, yet it is the cities that tend to have more gun violence. And, while whites have a higher degree of gun ownership than blacks and Hispanics, gun violence is a more common problem among those two minority groups.
Obviously, the disparity in gun violence of whites vs minorities, and rural vs city, suggests that guns are not the problem. For those who argue that guns are the major problem, you need to address these factual issues.
I would like to add another issue: the mainstream media. How and what the media reports determines viewpoints. The perceptions disseminated by the media become reality for many people. An example. The media never fails to report when a white cop kills a black person. Therefore, many people can readily name at least some blacks who have been killed by the police. When I have asked people to name a single white person shot and killed by the police, they are unable to do so. Yet, far more whites are killed by the police than are blacks. But, as perception becomes reality, to some, being unable to name a single white person killed by police must mean it does not happen. Or, at least not very often. And being able to name several blacks killed by the police must mean it is an epidemic.
President Biden gave his "do something" speech to the nation about guns on 6/2/22. There are some suggestions with which I agree, and those I will discuss in the next post. But here are those items with which I disagree. I would not ban so-called assault rifles, by which people mean the AR-15 (Armalite 15) rifles. I have spoken with people far more knowledgeable than I am about this. I would not repeal the gun manufacturers' liability shield, as I see that as a backdoor approach to put gun manufacturers out of business through countless lawsuits.
Prior to his speech, Biden had suggested a ban on the production of 9mm handguns, the most common gun in America. I certainly do not agree with that. People should have a right to protect themselves. In the recently passed House legislation, the "Protecting Our Kids Act," the law suggested criminal penalties for anyone violating the new requirements for the safe firearm storage on residential premises. I do not agree with that. People who are irresponsible can already be held accountable at the state level.
Not surprisingly, Biden argued in his speech that voters should make the issue of guns "central" to their vote in November. I doubt that will happen. Not with the highest rate of inflation in over 40 years. Not with ongoing supply chain issues. Not with out of control crime and homelessness across the country. And not with a wide open border, allowing a large volume of fentanyl to illegally be brought into the country, resulting in tens of thousands of deaths. As more people die from fentanyl than from guns, I suggest that people make Biden's open border policy "central" to their vote in November.
But here is a recommendation I do have for the President. Tone down the rhetoric! I heard Jen Psaki, from the White House podium, state that it was an appropriate exercise of free speech to demonstrate in front of the homes of Supreme Court Justices. No, it's not. There is even a federal law prohibiting it. And while that law might run afoul of the First Amendment, it still does not make it right. I asked in an earlier post if judges should decide cases based upon who makes the loudest noise? Based on the mob? Did Biden criticize Schumer for threatening Justices Gorsuch and Kavanaugh? Because now we just had a man from Simi Valley, California, travel to Washington with the intent of assassinating Justice Kavanaugh.
Toning down the rhetoric starts from the top. And you, President Biden, are in a unique position to initiate a more civil political tone. You ran as a "uniter." The main theme of your inaugural address was that you were going to unify the country. Prove it.
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