The US has had 214 mass shootings so far in 2022
The Gun Violence Archive has counted 214 mass shootings so far in 2022.
More than 17,300 people have lost their lives due to gun violence in 2022, according to the archive.
The Archive counts mass shootings as ones in which four or more people are shot in the same place.
I think this is a good place to have our discussions about gun violence and any other discussion of issues. This is a sample blog where people can share their opinions. This one happens to be specifically about gun violence. My view is that we need to press our congress to pass sensible legislation including universal background checks. Changing the constitution's 2d amendment is not a realistic goal at this time. State law changes may also be useful but this year's legislative session is pretty much over and we'd have to wait til next year to propose any major changes. What do others think about this site, the name, and the concept of a chatgroup site like this?
The "Good Guy with a Gun" argument is dead We now know that the police (the good guys with guns) waited 80 minutes before going in. Apparently at least one parent went in on her own and saved her own child. I think this shooter at Uvalde also killed the ridiculous argument that the "only way to stop a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun" We need to pass universal background checks legislation at the very minimum.
Aloha Terry, I think this blogspot is a great idea and I like the name “Peace not Guns”. And I’m writing this soon after the latest mass shooting, this time in a hospital in Oklahoma. Your comment in the blog about it not being practical for citizens at this point in time to work towards 2nd amendment repeal, leaves me with mixed feelings. For example if Gandhi felt it was impractical to work towards independence from Britain, or M.L.K. felt it impractical to work towards passage and enforcement of a civil rights bill, where would we be today? They both were willing to give their lives for what at the time were radical causes against massive odds. How many more mass shootings can we tolerate before mobilizing a mass movement towards gun abolition starting with really severe gun restrictions? Also I’m in favor of immediate universal red flag laws. Ironically, Gandhi himself was killed by a gun in the hands of a radicalized extremist who had access to a gun. Same for Martin Luther King. If those men didn’t have access to guns history would surely have been different. Some might say it's just necessary to have certain lives sacrificed before big change can take place, but I think not. If those extremists were denied or at the very least vetted for gun ownership, would the assassinations taken place? The Gandhi International Institute for Peace is a great organization for advocacy and for annual speaches. But at what point on “the arc of history bending towards justice” do our words and advocacy turn to action? When do we do something besides pontificate? Gandhi was not a Peace pontificator but a Peace activator. He was able to bring about massive change by non-violent ACTION. He was able to mobilize thousands to demonstrate. Do we have—or when will we have—a leader able to do something similar regarding the plague of mass shootings? Yes, “Be the change you would like to see in the world” but I am not a leader. Are you? Or who among us is? The limits I place on myself are—apart from prayer—to donate money to a cause, to sign petitions, or to show up as a sign waver. When and if GIIP is ready for action, I’m ready to show up in support. We could make our voices heard in a big way by forming a coalition with all the Peace groups and letting the Aloha Spirit of Hawaii lead the charge—non-violent and filled with Love. Maybe show up at the federal building on a specific dated agreed upon by all? Or someplace else? Any suggestions? Just some thoughts on my part. Also wanted to let you know I won’t be at the board meeting on Saturday due to work commitments. Best wishes and Aloha. Wallen
I think this is a good place to have our discussions about gun violence and any other discussion of issues. This is a sample blog where people can share their opinions. This one happens to be specifically about gun violence.
ReplyDeleteMy view is that we need to press our congress to pass sensible legislation including universal background checks. Changing the constitution's 2d amendment is not a realistic goal at this time. State law changes may also be useful but this year's legislative session is pretty much over and we'd have to wait til next year to propose any major changes.
What do others think about this site, the name, and the concept of a chatgroup site like this?
The "Good Guy with a Gun" argument is dead
DeleteWe now know that the police (the good guys with guns) waited 80 minutes before going in. Apparently at least one parent went in on her own and saved her own child. I think this shooter at Uvalde also killed the ridiculous argument that the "only way to stop a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun" We need to pass universal background checks legislation at the very minimum.
Aloha Terry,
ReplyDeleteI think this blogspot is a great idea and I like the name “Peace not Guns”. And I’m writing this soon after the latest mass shooting, this time in a hospital in Oklahoma.
Your comment in the blog about it not being practical for citizens at this point in time to work towards 2nd amendment repeal, leaves me with mixed feelings. For example if Gandhi felt it was impractical to work towards independence from Britain, or M.L.K. felt it impractical to work towards passage and enforcement of a civil rights bill, where would we be today? They both were willing to give their lives for what at the time were radical causes against massive odds.
How many more mass shootings can we tolerate before mobilizing a mass movement towards gun abolition starting with really severe gun restrictions? Also I’m in favor of immediate universal red flag laws. Ironically, Gandhi himself was killed by a gun in the hands of a radicalized extremist who had access to a gun. Same for Martin Luther King. If those men didn’t have access to guns history would surely have been different. Some might say it's just necessary to have certain lives sacrificed before big change can take place, but I think not. If those extremists were denied or at the very least vetted for gun ownership, would the assassinations taken place?
The Gandhi International Institute for Peace is a great organization for advocacy and for annual speaches. But at what point on “the arc of history bending towards justice” do our words and advocacy turn to action? When do we do something besides pontificate? Gandhi was not a Peace pontificator but a Peace activator. He was able to bring about massive change by non-violent ACTION. He was able to mobilize thousands to demonstrate. Do we have—or when will we have—a leader able to do something similar regarding the plague of mass shootings? Yes, “Be the change you would like to see in the world” but I am not a leader. Are you? Or who among us is? The limits I place on myself are—apart from prayer—to donate money to a cause, to sign petitions, or to show up as a sign waver.
When and if GIIP is ready for action, I’m ready to show up in support. We could make our voices heard in a big way by forming a coalition with all the Peace groups and letting the Aloha Spirit of Hawaii lead the charge—non-violent and filled with Love. Maybe show up at the federal building on a specific dated agreed upon by all? Or someplace else? Any suggestions?
Just some thoughts on my part. Also wanted to let you know I won’t be at the board meeting on Saturday due to work commitments.
Best wishes and Aloha.
Wallen