Within two weeks, there have been three mass shootings across the United States, the first during a garlic festival in Gilroy, California killing three people and the 19-year-old White gunman killing himself.
The second at a Walmart in El Paso, Texas with the 21-year-old White gunman killing 20 people but was detained by the police. Two more people died due to their injuries in the hospital.
The third happens within a day after the El Paso mass shooting in Dayton, Ohio where the 24-year-old White gunman killed his sister and eight other people but was killed by the police which leaves the to police determine the motive.
Nevertheless, the other two mass shootings clearly shows the motive, with the second mass shooter leaving a manifesto on the right-wing forum, 8chan, as “a response to the Hispanic invasion of Texas” which echoes President Trump rhetoric.
Yet, Trump and his advocates are using violent video games, social media and mental illness to deflect criticism on himself and the lack of gun control even though the motives of at least the two mass shooters are clear.
Ironically, it was President Trump who revoked his predecessor’s gun regulations where it would have been more difficult for mentally ill people to acquire guns legally in 2017. Additionally, it was President Trump who across his term and especially in the past month used racist and discriminatory language in his tweets.
Therefore, many people find it baffling on why the President and his administration failed to take responsibility for their actions.
All three gunmen acquired their weapons legally but if not, the gunman buys guns in another state, like the Gilroy mass shooter used military-grade weapons (that is illegal in California but he bought it legally in the neighbouring state Nevada).
Powerful lobbies like the National Rifle Association use their influence over politicians and the media to deflect any criticisms on guns and blame the person or the fact that if every citizen had a gun then mass shooters would lose incentive to carry their attack, therefore, add more fuel to the fire.
Yet, the sensationalism of mass shooters in the media is similar to serial killers in the 1970s and 80s. However, at this rate mass shooting is slowly becoming normalised in the United States.
Since the Sandy Hook mass shootings in 2012, where 20 children were amongst the dead, British journalist, Dan Hodges tweeted something which is ever more relevant; “In retrospect, Sandy Hook marked the end of the US gun control debate. Once America decided killing children was bearable, it was over.”
Leave a Reply
Want to join the discussion?Feel free to contribute!