The atrocious acts of gun violence have come in full force in the year 2021. The rampant cases of gun violence have become even more evident this year. With not even being half-way done with the year, the year 2021 has already overtaken 2020 in the amount of gun violence acts.
Everyday there is a new news headline, with the same few words and no one bats an eye. There is little national coverage since it is not “news-worthy” any more. We have become accustomed to the idea that it is normal for people to lose their lives in acts of gun violence, and because the issue is too polarizing, nothing gets done to prevent it.
The Gun Violence Archive has over 12 pages of incident reports of mass shootings for the year 2021 with 277 mass shootings listed. Yet no one talks about it, why? The answer is simply because society has become desensitized to this definition of normal. Throughout the past year we have still been trying to define that fickle term. No one really has a true grasp on the concept of normality anymore, gun violence has just made its way into people’s new interpretation of it.
Many members of both major parties agree that something should be done, however the way they go about it is entirely different. Many Republicans are in favor of mental health checks and similar, yet looser red flag checks when purchasing a gun legally. However, many moderate Democrats are in favor of furthering restrictions on what guns people can buy as well as more stringent background checks.
As many can see, these ideas clash greatly and many politicians won’t even bring up gun legislation as it hurts their political agenda. Too many are concerned with how they are perceived and their future as an elected official and not enough on their constituents.
Mississippi has had 57 mass shootings in 2021 alone, but can anyone recall the last time Roger Wicker or Cindy Hyde-Smith put forward any legislation about it? Or Maryland’s 89 mass shootings, have their Senators made a lasting impact on gun legislation reform?
The simple answer is no. This has been a looming issue for decades, it should not be divisive. All elected officials are required to give an oath of office which states, “I, _____, do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter. So help me God.”
These elected officials are giving this oath to protect their constituents, this includes domestic issues. Yet, the people are still not being protected. Elected officials need to fulfill the duties of their office, this includes gun reform.
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