June 23, 2022. A date that will live in history—and perhaps infamy—for gun law and policy. One development was expected. The U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to expand the Second Amendment to include a right to carry firearms outside of one’s home. The other development would have been completely unexpected prior to the Uvalde, Texas, school shooting. Namely, the U.S. Senate enacting a bill with very modest new regulations concerning firearms.
A bipartisan group of U.S. senators, including have issued a statement of agreement concerning proposals related to gun violence. The signees included 10 Republican senators meaning that these proposals can overcome the usual blockade by the filibuster if there is agreement on the language of proposed legislation.
There were 10 mass shootings around the country over the weekend. TEN! And these shootings reinforced our recognition of the kinds of harms that threaten us in a society with easy access to firearms and an overabundant supply of guns in civilian hands.
The tragic Robb elementary shooting in Uvalde, TX calls our attention to the news media’s temporary focus on the scourge of gun violence. We should take note of the information produced at this moment before national attention moves again to other issues.
In May 2022, an eighteen-year-old gunman entered an elementary school in Uvalde Texas and killed at least 19 people, nearly all of them children.
Even in a time of war and economic troubles, eye-opening news stories about gun violence still continuously present themselves for our consideration. Do we let the implications of these events challenge our thinking?