Contributed Post
If you have taken as much as a passing glance at the news over the past two years, it’s very easy to come to the conclusion that everyone in the country is suddenly armed to the teeth and always ready to pull the trigger. It has a lot of people whipped up into an understandable frenzy, and there are real threats out there, but it’s important to maintain a level of realism about what the threat actually is and what we can do about it.
The facts
To say that gun violence isn’t a problem in the country would be untrue. It is true that we see more gun deaths per capita than most other places in the world is true. We make up one of the six countries contributing to more than 50% of all gun deaths in the world, even more than some countries with more lax gun laws. Similarly, it is true that we have seen an increase in gun violence over the last recorded year.
The fictions
However, it’s important to note this increase is the first one we’ve seen in years amongst a long trend of decline. The prevalence of gun crime out there isn’t what’s driving the feelings of fear gripping the nation, it’s the reporting of it. This isn’t helped by a political climate that grows more divisive with every day. Both sides of the aisle have narratives that avoid nuance like it was the plague, but the insistence that violent crime sprees by immigrant gangs is one of the most inaccurate and inflammatory amongst them. Gang violence has always been a problem, but it’s one that has also been decreasing over the years.
The realities
Of course, stats may not matter for much if you find your life in actual danger. While it’s important to keep a cool head and remain realistic about how likely it is you will be involved in gun violence, you should still keep in mind what to do during an active shooter situation. Learning the Hide, Run, and Fight method can help you make the best out of a bad situation and even practising it can help you react more quickly should you find yourself in the unlikely but not impossible situation that your life is in real danger.
The fight
Does the overblown nature of gun violence mean that nothing should be done about it? Of course not. Beyond increasing awareness of the dangers, if you truly care about gun violence, you should look at movements to reduce it. There are several legal and political movements in motion, from trying to increase the regulation of gun licenses to make them at least as restrictive as driving licenses to eliminating restrictions on gun violence research.
To say that the country has a complicated relationship with guns and gun violence is an understatement, to say the least. However, whatever news you read, it’s wise to make sure you find the full-context while remaining aware of what you can do to keep yourself and your home safe.
