Source: Global News+
Less than a week after the Atlanta ring shooting, an even bloodier gun-bearing killing strife shattered the tranquility of Boulder, Colorado.
On the afternoon of the 22nd local time (early morning of the 23rd Beijing time), a supermarket in Boulder City suddenly sounded a series of gunshots, which has caused 10 deaths so far, including a policeman. Police have arrested an injured suspect at the scene, whose motives have yet to be investigated.
△ Screenshot of the ABC report
In the Greater Denver metropolitan area of Boulder City, similar mass shootings have not been the first of its kind:
The deadliest school shooting in U.S. history at Columbine High School in Jefferson County in April 1999 killed 13 teachers and students;
— The July 2012 shooting at a cinema in Aurora killed 12 people;
– Three people were killed in a November 2015 shooting at a clinic in Springs;
– The May 2019 shooting at a school in Douglas County killed 1 student;
……
The new bloody case has shocked and frightened the people of Boulder. Kevin Daly, the owner of a restaurant not far from the supermarket, said he had never had such an encounter in the local area and was not trained to deal with such emergencies. "I don't think this kind of thing should happen in the United States."
However, what happened in the United States, where Daley believes that "this should not happen"...
"Chicken and egg" or "egg and chicken"?
The latest statistics of the American Gun Violence Archive Network (GVA) show that as of the 23rd local time, various gun violence incidents in the United States this year have caused 9535 deaths and more than 7200 injuries. Among them, 103 large-scale shootings have occurred.
△ Screenshot of GVA data
According to the Small Arms Analysis Corporation (SAA), nearly 23 million firearms of all types were sold in the United States in 2020, a significant increase of 65% over 2019. The surge in gun sales also continued into 2021.
In January, with the violent onslaught of the U.S. Capitol and the inauguration of a new administration, the FBI received 4.3 million applications for background checks for gun purchases, up from 2.7 million in the same period last year.
△ Screenshot of CNN report
Background check data on gun purchases in U.S. states has also grown dramatically. Taking Georgia, where the serial gun shootings of "Qiuya" occurred on the 16th of this month, as an example, the number of residents in the state who received background checks for gun purchases exceeded 900,000 in 2020, an increase of nearly 68% year-on-year, a record high.
Even more disturbing is the fact that Robert Aaron Long, charged with the murder of eight people, including 6 Asian women, in the Atlanta shooting, had just purchased a handgun a few hours before the attack. According to law enforcement and gun shop owners, the deal did not violate gun-related laws or procedures.
In response, Chris Brown, head of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, noted that the United States "makes this hatred even more deadly by unrestricted access to weapons." It is clear that "this attack contributed to the discussion of measures to stop gun violence".
△ Screenshot of the British "Guardian" report
In today's United States, however, the "surge in gun violence" and the "surge in gun sales" seem to be a vicious circle that is positively correlated with each other.
Following the "gun buying fever" set off by American women and minorities last year, the recent surge in "Asian-hating" crimes, especially the occurrence of the Atlanta blood case, has prompted more and more Asian Americans to start buying guns to protect themselves.
△ Screenshot of the forbes magazine website report
With everyone buying guns, what is the hope of ending gun violence in the United States?
Guns "more and more control"?
The just-so-recent Boulder shooting massacre once again shook American society dramatically. White House press secretary Psaki said on the same day that President Biden has heard a briefing on the incident and will keep abreast of the latest developments.
△ Psaki social media screenshot
Notably, earlier this month, the Democratic-controlled U.S. House of Representatives voted to pass two bills that were vetoed in the previous Congress, trying to step up background checks on gun sales and transfers to ensure that individuals barred from possessing guns cannot easily access them.
Screenshot of the New York Times report
But given the sharp rivalry between democrats and republicans over gun control and the bipartisan confrontation in the Senate with 50 seats each, the possibility of these bills being rejected again in the Senate remains. Because for Democrats to pass most important bills, they must win the support of at least 10 Republicans. But for now, it seems that the two bills will not be easy to reach the 60 votes required to break through the Senate.
In fact, due to the fact that the interest groups advocating the culture of gun ownership are rich and powerful in the United States, and most of the AMERICAN politicians who pursue practical interests are reluctant to make more efforts on the issue of gun control with smaller odds, the United States has not passed any important gun control laws for many years. For the gun control bill passed by the House of Representatives this time, the US media is also more worried than happy.
Reports suggest that these bills, which are supported by majority Americans, offer a glimmer of hope for ending gun violence in the United States, but many Republican-led states are actively opposing it. Guns and gun violence cannot be demarcated by state, and gun control is difficult to achieve if states do not act uniformly. "Gun violence is a scourge in the United States, and irresponsible neighboring states can make this scourge even more deadly."
△ Screenshot of the Chicago Sun-Times report
Some US media pointed out that the stubborn gun-owning tradition in American society determines that gun sales often occur before successive Democratic governments take office, which means that the background checks favored by Democrats cannot achieve the goal of gun control, but will stimulate more gun sales. Statistics show that in 2020, the United States reported 21 million background checks on gun purchases, resulting in a record increase of 8.4 million new gun owners.
△ Screenshot of the Wall Street Journal report
The Wall Street Journal article said that while Senate Majority (Democratic) Leader Schumer said he would work to win Republican support for gun control bills, he was well aware that these bills were unlikely to receive 60 votes in the Senate, but that "voting will please 'progressives' — Democrats may benefit politically if there is new gun violence." But no one should think that increased gun control can do anything other than spur more gun sales."
Original 丨 Wang Jian
Edited by 丨 Lin Wei
Producer 丨Guan Juanjuan