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Aug

Arm twisting by arms dealers in US

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New Delhi, August 3, 2023

Idealism has no role in this grim battle.

Upkar Chopra

from Washington DC

Mass shootings in the US from 1982 to 2023 show a steady rise with I in 1982 to 12 in 2018 and 2022. So far 2023 has seen 8 mass killings.

The definition of mass killings varies but the most accepted of mass shootings is “an act of firearm violence (exclusive of gang killings, domestic violence or terrorism) leaving at least 4 dead”

Another dubious record for US is that one third of the total mass shootings in the world between 1966 to 2012 occurred in our country.

And this is nowhere showing any trend of going down even as man scores big victories in space technology and going higher and higher in his luxuries standards.

The simple reason for this is that all that money for the exotic vacations and the limousines and palatial apartments is coming from the arm twisting of the all-powerful arms lobby.

The year 2023, which is only halfway through has not brought any hope as it has set another record with the highest ever 351 shootings leaving 88 dead.

It would be too simplistic to define these areas where shootings happen as being economically backward, or Republican or Democrat strongholds because they have happened in every part of the United States including Washington DC, Philadelphia, Texas, Dallas, Atlanta, Kentucky, Nashville, Michigan University, California, Albama etc.

Talking of records, the most powerful democracy of the world which does not hesitate to send its army to restore a democratic structure in other countries, also holds the record for the highest school shootouts in the world, worst being 2007 when 33 children were dead and 23 injured

Interestingly, in most cases the police claim they are unaware of the motives of the killers. One possible and practical reason for this could also be that most of the shooters and perpetrators of violence are killed by the police on the spot.

In India, they may be killed in encounters after the event but not here. They meet their Karma then and there.

The motives of the killer or his psyche may not be clear but every citizen of the country is aware of the reason for these shootings-easy availability of guns through the ever burgeoning gun lobby.

This lobbies have been historically promoted by all successive governments whether led by the Republicans or the Democrats because they all need funds to fight elections.

A recent report in the New York Times showed that according to OpenSecrets, a non- profit that tracks spendings in the country, reported that from 1998 to 2020 the pro-gun groups had paid $171.9millions in lobbying directly for the gun legislations.

Since 1998 the National Rifle Association (NRA) alone has paid $63,857,564 for lobbying.

Unlike in some other countries including India, in the United Stated lobbying is officially permitted for legislations and their rates are officially declared.

Revelations from the diaries of Mr.John D Dingell, a powerful Michigan Democrat who died in 2019 reveal the beginning and the control that the gun lobby has held over America since he was among at least nine senators and representatives with a dual role-lawmakers and directors who helped the national Rifle Association accumulate unlimited power since 1975.

Such a cult figure had he become that in 1963 just after the assassination of John F Kennedy with a rifle brought through an NRA magazine ad Mr.Dingell complained about “A growing prejudice against firearms” and defended buying firearms through mail. He became so popular with the NRA that he had joined another member on its board.

Reads a newspaper article,” With more than 400 million firearms in civilian hands today and mass shootings now routine, Americans are bitterly divided over what the right to bear arms shold mean.”

Idealism has no role in this grim battle.

One of the most popular Presidents of the country in recent memory Barack Obama, known for his oratory and humanitarian streak saw one of the deadliest, attack on the SandyHook Elementary School children killing 20.

Speaking at a White House, he said,”The majority of those who died today were children-beautiful little kids between 5 and 10 year olds” he said at a White House briefing, continuing ”They had their lives ahead of them…among the fallen were also teachers –men and women who devoted their lives to helping our children fulfill their dreams. So our hearts are broken today.”

The year he was sworn in 847,808 guns were purchased compared to 655,143 in the earlier year. Four years later in January 2013, it went up to 1,790,154.

In January 2013, Obama signed 23 executive actions relating to controlling guns. But the most important checks he introduced, the Assault Weapon Ban and Manchin Toomey amendment failed to pass the senate test.

Obama was to admit in an OpEd for the Arizona Daily Star in 2011 “My administration has not curtailed the rights of the gun owners-it has expanded them” after the shooting of the Giffords in January 2011.

One hardly hopes to get another with his vision and compassion to adorn that post in near future.

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