The shootings in US schools in 2019 will be a shameful marker, there were 22 shootings where in scores were hurt or killed. These have occurred across the length and breadth of the nation, from Georgia to California, at all levels from elementary, to middle and high schools, college and university campuses.
In the above bar-chart, info on perpetrators age and venues of occurrence.
To be designated as a shooting at least one person must have been shot and the occurrence befallen on school property. This is not restricted to- buildings, athletic fields, parking lots, buses or stadiums.
In August, two mass shootings in the span of 14 hours left 29 dead, first in El Paso, Texas, next one in Dayton, Ohio. These instances of dastardly shootings in 2019, sums-up such incidents up to 17 — which averages to one in 12.7 days.
Trump’s Meteoritic Rise
Trump and Mike Pence – his running-mate, were formally elected by the Electoral College on 19th Dec’16. The inauguration marked the formal culmination of the presidential passage of Donald Trump which was initiated when he won the U.S. presidential election on 8th Nov’16.
Tump’s victory was powered by
- Patriotic crowd – The working-class white people, men and women without college education.
- Outsider status – His attitude proved his independence and outsider status during a time when the American public reviled Washington.
- The Comey Factor – FBI director James Comey released a letter announcing the reopening their investigation into Hillary’s private email server.
- Trusted his instincts – Mr Trump ran the most unusual of campaigns, but it turned out he navigated better than all the experts.
- Ceramic Donald- controversies came hard and fast but Trump’s skin was way too oily and the scandals just drained off.
Trump is a supporter of the Second Amendment and propagated it as a part of his election campaign to defend people’s right to own and carry guns.
The Second Amendment in the US Constitution states: “A well-regulated Militia, being necessary to secure a Free State, the right of the people to keep and own Arms, shall not be infringed upon.” Gun sellers would be responsible to carry out background checks against a FBI database.
Gun Law’s in The US
The US has five per cent of the world’s population, but half the civilian-population owns guns. It also has the highest homicide-by-firearm rate among developed nations.
Thirty-one states allow open carrying of a handgun without any licence or permit, although the gun must be unloaded in some cases. More recently states like Alaska, Arizona, Kansas, New Hampshire and Maine have changed laws to allow unconstrained concealed carry by eligible residents.
In the aftermath of the attacks Trump proposed that the Congress should link immigration laws to newer legislation for stronger background checks.
Trump Tweeted: “Republicans and Democrats must enable strong background checks and imbibe this legislation with immigration reforms.”
But he didn’t bite the bullet on legislation regarding gun control, background checks, or immigration policies.
17.3 million concealed weapon permits were issued in the United States in 2018.
The Deceased Tales
- 2009 to 2017, there were 173 mass shootings
- In 2017, four fold increase of those shot above the previous eight years average.
- In one-third of the shootings, the shooter was legally prohibited from possessing a firearm.
- Prior to the shooting, the shooter exhibited warning signs of danger to themselves or to others.
- Majority of shooters were from families with a history of domestic violence.
- 86 per cent of victims in mass shootings were children (below 18).
- Mass shootings involving high-capacity magazines categorically resulted in double the fatalities and 14 times the injuries.
Also Read : US Healthcare An Overview
In Jun’15 a jury sentenced Dylann Roof the self-proclaimed white supremacist to death for killing nine black worshipers at Emmanuel AME Church in Charleston during a Bible study.
The Coming Election
Trump eyes the coming elections positively. He is gauging his past performance to pummel him through for a 2nd term.
Trump strives to walk his talk and endeavors doggedly to fulfill the promises he made. They are:
- Tax Cuts – He had promised to bring corporation tax down from 35% to 15% – but managed 21% instead.
- Paris Climate Deal – He came down decisively as quits. Signed by nearly 200 countries, but he kept his word and walked.
- Supreme Court Nominee – Trump promised conservative justice who will respect the second amendment. He appointed 2 in unconventional fashion.
- Bombing IS – the biggest non-nuclear bomb in the US arsenal fell on the IS-stronghold in Afghanistan.
- Bringing troop’s home – He kept his promise on this one too.
- Trade deals – Partially delivered. Embroiled in an escalating trade war with China, with both sides imposing tariffs on billions of worth goods. As of now a truce is enacted.
- Rescind Obamacare – Partially done. Trump administration has managed to dismantle parts of the law.
- Border Wall paid for by Mexico – No progress.
- Deporting illegal immigrants – No progress.
- China as currency manipulator – Trump accused China of “currency manipulation”by suppressing the Yuan to make its exports more competitive with US goods.
Trump’s Game-plan
Trump is surreptitiously eyeing his next term and doesn’t want to rock the apple-cart. Always a business man at heart and it shows. Trump is aware who his ardent supporters are and where they origin from. He trusts he has been successful in charting a course that is patriotic rather than acceptable, and believes it augurs favorably in the current situation.
The Gun-control dilemma will continue, the killings too. Trump will continue to look the other way – even if it costs lives.
After an Engineering degree and a Diploma in Management I devoted 16+ years working in the automotive industry. My innate skill and extreme passion in writing, encouraged me to adopt it up as a profession. I have been writing for more than 10+ years in the software industry. The 400+ blogs I published are informative, exhaustive and interesting to a professional and causal reader.
