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Netizen Watch: Gun Violence – Where America Stands Today

Docnetizen

Hello Fellow Netizens!

With less than 3 months until the Presidential Elections, Docnetizen will focus on health policy issues that receive the most attention from candidates to educate and inform you about why they matter. This article will focus exclusively on gun violence in the United States, how we as a society have dealt with it in recent years, and what we should look for in the coming months from the presidential race.

Gun Violence: Background

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in 2022, there were more than 48,000 deaths in the United States related to firearms, a significant increase from 33,563 deaths in 2012. To put this differently, in 2022, about 132 people died from a firearm-related injury every day.

An analysis done by KFF found that overall gun death rates rose by 35% from 2012 to 2022, with a sharper rise in homicide rates compared to suicide rates (69% vs. 31%, respectively). However, they elaborated that in 2022, more firearm deaths were attributed to suicide (56%) compared to homicide.

Some other noteworthy statistics from the CDC include the following:

  • Men account for 86% of all firearm death victims and 87% of firearm injuries.
  • Teens and young adults ages 15-34 have the highest encounter rates of firearm violence—in fact, it is the leading cause of childhood death in America, surpassing motor vehicle accidents and cancer!
  • Black/African American, Hispanic/Latinx, and American Indian or Alaska Native persons have higher encounter rates of firearm violence compared to other groups.
  • For firearm-related suicide, the general profile of affected individuals includes being over the age of 75 and being non-Hispanic White or American Indian or Alaska Native.

Current Legislative Action

The United States is no stranger to gun violence; headlines extensively cover incidents of mass shootings, high-profile murders, and acts of violence on an almost constant basis. Most recently, the attempted assassination of Donald Trump during one of his rallies in Pennsylvania last month placed gun violence front and center.

However, gun control reform has stalled at the federal level for years, with little change in how firearms and their use are regulated throughout the nation. As you may have heard in other news stories or outlets, groups like the National Rifle Association (NRA) have lobbied extensively and spent millions of dollars to influence Congressional leaders to prevent any limits that could hinder gun ownership. In fact, the NRA held its annual national convention just days after the mass shooting at a school in Uvalde, Texas, which took the lives of 19 children and 2 teachers. Many of the speakers, including Mr. Trump, continued to support gun ownership and criticized any notion of increased gun control laws and regulations, such as universal background checks.

Presidential Candidates: Where they Stand

Harris-Walz: The Harris-Walz campaign fully embraces the Democratic Party’s established ideals of gun control and responsible ownership. Vice President Harris has a record of supporting federal and state firearm regulation; in March, her office released a statement proposing funding for the implementation of extreme risk protection orders (otherwise known as “red flag” laws) and encouraging more states to adopt them. The Vice President also oversees the Office of Gun Violence Prevention, established by President Biden in 2023, to reduce the impact of gun violence in the United States through advocacy for Congressional action and the enforcement of executive actions related to gun control.

Courtesy of ABC 7 Chicago.

Her running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, also supports general gun reform policies that the current Biden Administration has proposed. He has been vocal about his opinions on social media, posting comments like the one below on X (formerly known as Twitter) this past year:

“It’s true. I’m a veteran, a hunter, and a gun owner,” Walz tweeted in July. “But I’m also a dad. And for many years, I was a teacher. It’s about keeping our kids safe. I had an A rating from the NRA. Now I get straight F’s. And I sleep just fine.”

“Where does Tim Walz stand on guns and gun control? Here’s his record.” – CBS

Trump-Vance: Mr. Trump has a record of courting the NRA, which is expected given the close ties the organization historically has with the Republican Party and its conservative members. He spoke at this year’s annual convention and earned the organization’s endorsement for his presidential run, even though Mr. Trump has pushed back on the NRA in the past, such as when he supported banning bump stocks and stronger background checks.

JD Vance, Trump’s running mate, aligns with the Republican Party’s pro-gun stance and supports much of what Donald Trump endorses on this issue. For example, Vance has been vocal about abolishing the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the agency responsible for enforcing firearms regulations and other laws meant to ensure public safety throughout the country.

Courtesy of X (formerly known as Twitter).

What To Watch Out For

As both campaigns continue to reach out to voters before the November elections, it is up to us, fellow Netizens, to hold them accountable and stay up to date on the facts. We should continue to listen and understand which candidate has a platform to address gun violence in the United States. U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy highlighted firearm violence as a public health crisis with an official advisory due to the significant impact guns have on the safety and well-being of all Americans. We need to advocate for representatives who are willing to listen to public health data and make evidence-based decisions with the goal of reducing deaths and saving lives.

Thanks for reading, and watch out for the next article. Until next time, fellow Netizens!

Courtesy of the US Department of Health and Human Services.

Get The Facts: Read More on Gun Violence

Featured Image: Phil Roeder from Des Moines, IA, USA, CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

Disclaimer: This article reflects the author’s own opinions and statements. They do not reflect the opinions or stances of any organization affiliated with the author.

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