Please don't talk about guns, because it is never the right time to talk about guns after every mass shootings. After mass shootings, Americans do what they do best, come together and hold hands. This is one of the lines you will hear this week following the shooting and killing of 26 church members in Texas by former US airforce personnel.
There has been different mass shootings in the US, and there probably would be more in the coming weeks, or in the span of 3 months. These killings and the one that will happen next will get the same response, "This recent shootings of these people should not be politicized, at a time like this, Americans do what they do best, come together and hold hands. "
The debate on gun conrol or its confiscation quickly rolls into the whirlwind of right and left political spectrum. One side thinks the other side is spewing trash, and vice-versa, while friends outside America cannot quite understand or get a grasp of America obsession with guns.
There are now 377 (including the Texas killing on Sunday) mass shootings in the US between January 1, 2017 and November 6, 2017, which means 532 people have been killed via mass shootings, and 1,425 people have been injured according to an independent data collection website on mass shootings.
The gun control discussion might cost politicians their seat in the US, and even a little mention of it can tank the approval ratings of governors, presidents, and such politician will face the wrath of one of the strongest America gun lobbying organizations, The National Rifle Association( NRA).
Over the years, politicians in the Congress have dodged questions about gun control in the United States. The United States Congress, known for its slow approach to issues affecting US citizens has shielded itself from talking about gun control, and most of the politicians in Congress are backed by the NRA, and going after them would mean losing their seats in the capitol.
Anytime there is a mass shooting, while cable TVs all try to report the news, and bring people that could talk about gun control in the US, one of American's cable news channel, Fox news, will change the narratives of the conversation, they will tell viewers about not talking about guns in respect to the victims of the mass shooting, and criticize people that talks about guns.
The media, particularly Fox news in the past have told everyone through their presenters and contributors that the US government is only trying to achieve one thing, Take away their guns.
The people of the US won't stop attacking the former US President, Barack Obama when he called out the hypocrisy of Republicans at the capitol on their negligence of making laws in the United States that will allow for better gun control. He(Obama) was then used as a talking point as the president that is working hard to take away guns from responsible gun owners.
The Obama saga will go on to affect presidential aspirant, Hillary Clinton, after the current US president, Donald Trump accused Obama of trying to take away guns from gun owners, and Hillary Clinton will do the same, he(Donald Trump) would then go ahead to give a vote of confidence to the NRA, and assures them that nobody will take away guns from gun owners, and assuring the association of stay.
The NRA had supported Trump's campaign with $30.3 million, spending money on anti-Clinton campaign. Which was one of the reasons the US President when asked about gun control after the Las Vegas shootings, told reporters that it was not time to talk about that, and that was the same talking point for Fox news, as the cable tv finds it difficult to say something tangible, and decided to dance around the "Nobody should politicize the shootings, it was not the right time to talk about gun control."
While Fox news, congress members and right-wing media could not get together a common sense statement during the Las Vegas shootings because it was done by an Old white American, these same groups were quick to respond to last week attack by Uzbekistan national, Sayfullo Habibullaevic Saipov killed 8 people in New York on Halloween, Sean Hannity was all in shouting matches,talking about using extreme vetting for people coming to the United States, the US president was also quick to let everyone know the killer entered the country because there was no extreme vetting process in place, and Donald Trump then suggested that the Diversity visa lottery program be scraped, as this is the democratic party senator, Chuck Shumer beauty.
The US president believes that action should be taken after the New York killings, and response must be immediate, but this does not apply to Las Vegas?
When roads kill people, we all try to find solutions to why the killings, and how to stop it, we might look into re-construction of the roads, if it is speeding drivers, we will put a bump, to let drivers slow down. When there is a plane crash, we will look into what was the causes of the plane crash, and see how to prevent such havoc from happening again.
Why does America wants to solve everything, but when it comes to gun control, Americans will tell you; "We are shocked, we are sad at this shootings, Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims."
This is the line that will be used by the US presidents, senators, right wing media, Pro-gun control citizens today, and every time there is mass shootings in the US. This culture of checking if the shooter is black so he could be called a thug, Muslim so that he could be labelled a Terrorist, even before security authorities release the news, and using mental health it cover up if those fields are not checked needs to stop. Donald Trump is already calling the Texas shootings mental health issue.
Americans should have the talk on gun control, it won't bite. NRA should not hold any government representative or the country to its millions. It is totally unacceptable. Guns is not something to play around, it kills, and it does that easily and immediately.
There is a saying in the United States that "people kill people, not guns." is the same as saying "people kill people, not HIV". That is dumb, when there was HIV spread, the condom was introduced to everybody, and safe sex, people were advised to not share needles and more preventive measure was put in place, including ARVs to help people with it.
The same logic should apply to gun controls. Guns wont lift up themselves, it needs intervention by people. The questions that we should now ask is that, who are the people allow to intervene or carry guns? Why can't common sense allow debate of these pertinent issues?
If thoughts and prayers is money what American citizens have to pay after every mass shooting, it would put a dent into America budget terribly.
What are Americans doing to curb these massacres? Will this issue always toil party lines? Will congress wakes up to help the common man have a common sense gun control in place? Will Congress pass laws that will allow for background checks on gun applications and gun owners? Will Congress let guns be taken away from people with "mental health" issues.
This is not a write-up to take away guns, so before you go around in the comment with "A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed." I want to make it clear that this is an opinion on common sense gun control. We can do something just to reduce it.
The founding fathers might have made a mistake not excluding assault weapons when they wrote the US constitution, it is time to start doing that now, so that we will keep our kids safe when they go to school, family members when they go to the mall or church, and also keep ourselves safe when we run on our streets without the fear of someone with "mental health" opening fire.
Australians and Japan also allow guns, only that they had better gun control. Buying guns on an open market without background checks in this day and age is dangerous and risky business, and the people need to call their member of congress, and put a stop to NRA oligarchy behaviour.
