Firearms in the United States of America - Part 2

Alpha
Jan 15, 2024
6 min read

Updated: Oct 1, 2024

One of the most striking aspects of the USA’s general culture is the overwhelming presence and impact that firearms have in the country. As of 2022, 45% of the USA’s population reported that they owned a firearm [1]. With an estimated number of 120 guns per 100 members of the population [2], it can be inferred that the number of guns not only exceeds the population but that most gun owners have more than one firearm in their possession. However, said abundance of firearms has led to the USA being one of the countries with the most gun-related deaths, and with the most gun-related suicides [3]. As such, this week's article will be the second part of the two-part article that seeks to tackle the culture and consequences of guns within the United States of America. [first part here]

PHOTO CREDIT: Image by Ibro Palic from Pixabay

The Statistics

At the end of 2023, 18,854 people were killed and 36,338 were injured by accident, malicious intent, or wilfulness by guns. There were 656 mass shootings, almost an average of two mass shootings per day, and 40 mass murders. 1,642 children between 0 and 17 years old were killed whilst 4 512 were injured. While the number of gun-related suicides is still pending, it can be inferred based on the statistics of the previous years that around 26,000 people committed suicide by firearm [4].

Furthermore, in 2021 out of 48,183 suicides, 26,328 were carried out with a firearm, by far the most common type of suicide [5]. With gun-related suicides being the highest form of gun-related deaths, a statistic that only worsens whilst having access to a firearm and when living in a rural area [6].

Why Less Guns is Safer

Several arguments can be made when faced with the overwhelming statistics of deaths and injuries related to guns. The truth is that without the presence of the overwhelming number of firearms that are not only in circulation but can easily be bought, within the USA, most if not almost all of these deaths and injuries could be prevented.

If a lesser number of guns circulated and access to said guns were restricted behind a background check and a skill test, both done regularly as one would with a driver's license, not only would the tool with which people hurt themselves and others be harder to acquire, it should not be possible for those who don’t have the necessary skills to handle such a dangerous tool, or might use them to hurt themselves or others.

Besides, if there is a lower number of firearms, gun-related crimes should drop in frequency, meaning that the argument which explores the ownership of a gun as protection would become invalid. After all, if no one has a gun, there is no need to get a gun to defend from someone with a gun.

The Switzerland Argument

One argument that is often made by gun advocates, is that of the high gun ownership in Switzerland and its comparatively low gun-related deaths. However, we do not find the comparison between gun ownership in the USA and in Switzerland to be valid. Switzerland is the 18th country with the most guns per Capita, having almost 28 guns per 100 citizens [7]. However, the number of gun-related deaths per 100 000 citizens in 2020, was 0.1. The key factor is the culture surrounding guns and their usage in Switzerland. For starters, automatic firearms and silencers are prohibited. In Switzerland, military attendance is mandatory for men over 18 and optional for women. As such, they are taught how to operate, maintain, and respect firearms.

Afterward, one can apply for a license that allows them to own a firearm, excluding bolt action and multi-barrel hunting rifles. To get said license, the person who is applying must have a clean criminal record and can’t be deemed a danger to the rest of the Swiss population. In case local police have doubts about the gun owner’s mental health and potential danger to themselves or others, they might ask a psychiatrist or the individual's friends and family, about their state of mind and any related topics such as substance abuse. Besides, said license is only valid for nine months and only allows access to one gun.

All of these factors and regulations contribute to not only restricting the amount of guns that one person might have but also who can have access to said guns. Besides, the short time period between acquiring licenses allows better control over the members of the population who have access to said firearms and as a way to test their skills. It is also important to remember that it is extremely common for Swiss people of all ages to participate in shooting tournaments, which not only allows them to learn how to safely handle firearms but also provides them with a safe environment to use their firearms.

Said reasons, when in contrast with the lax laws and obsessive culture that surrounds firearms in the USA, provide a full picture as to why the culture surrounding these dangerous objects is so wildly different between the two nations. And why an argument that seeks to compare them only strengthens the call for tighter regulations and reforms for the USA’s laws when it comes to guns.

Gun Lobbying

Lastly, one of the biggest contributors to the politicization of firearms and their respective laws is the gun lobby. In 2023 gun lobbying groups such as the National Rifle Association, or NRA [8], and the Gun Owners of America [9], spent 10 million dollars on lobbying [10] in favor of less restrictive gun laws, championing that more firearms should be bought and wielded by the citizens of the United States. But it should also be said that gun manufacturers also spend, even if in a minor quantity, thousands of dollars on gun lobbying. Smith & Wesson is a good example, having spent around 185,000 dollars in 2021 [11].

Nevertheless, the real power that these organizations hold comes in the form of their public campaigns, which seek to strengthen not only the populace's attachment to guns but also their image as defenders of their most sacred constitutional rights. Usually by evoking, partially, the second amendment. Anyhow, the power withheld by these types of organizations has been slowly dwindling in recent years, but still, the power and influence that these pro-gun groups hold within political candidates and the voters is astronomical. Oftentimes, a candidate's position on guns and gun control is enough to sway a large portion of voters, which can lead to its own slew of problems and future complications.

Conclusion

In the last few years, the number of mass shootings and mass murders only seems to be rising. As the happiness of the general populace wanes, living conditions worsen, and extreme ideologies get pushed with ever-growing ease in online environments, more and more people turn to violence or self-harm. With ease of access to the deadly tools that are firearms, it is no wonder that these objects capable of easily causing death and injury keep getting used over and over. And even as most members of the population seem open to some form of restriction when it comes to acquiring firearms, little is done in terms of passing meaningful bills.

To argue that more guns provide further protection is the same fallacy as claiming that the more nuclear bombs each country has, the less likely there will be all-out nuclear war. Because the moment a button is pushed, or a trigger is pulled, it is not the existence of equal power from the other party that will curb the damages. No, the solution is much simpler: if said weapons do not exist, there will be no need to acquire more. As such, we do not stop gun violence by equipping more and more people with these extremely dangerous items. We do not push for teachers to have access to firearms in schools. And we do not make models that can be used by kids. Instead, we diminish the ease of access and prohibit the legal acquisition of assault rifles, machine guns, and other weapons. It is only through sensible and rational reform of a fundamentally flawed system that we can hope to stop the bloodshed.

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