Pathology of Gun Violence — As Told by the Brady Campaign
The negative consequences of gun violence touch the lives of Americans in every state. Whether through mass shootings, gang violence, suicide, or accidental deaths, armed violence ends the lives of thousands of people each year. In order to properly address this crisis, it is helpful to view the issue as a public health crisis. The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence has provided a “pathology” of gun violence in order to examine the disease’s causes and effects [1].
Gun violence is a disease, and “guns and bullets are the pathogens” [2]. The disease impacts cities nationwide, and disproportionately persists in communities of color and low socioeconomic status. Even so, every community has grieved from the loss of loved ones at the hand of gun violence. In order to fully understand the issue, one must look at how guns are dispersed. The first method of dissemination is by those with criminal or harmful intent, which causes around five to ten thousand deaths in the U.S. each year [3].
According to members of a Chicago community experiencing the extreme impact of gun violence, “the easiest thing to sell in Chicago is a gun” [4]. There are three ways that guns get into the hands of those with criminal or harmful intent. The first is a straw purchase, in which someone who is able to pass a background check purchases a gun for someone who would not. The type of gun distributors who would allow a straw purchase are few and far between, yet still account for 60% of guns involved in crimes [5]. Second, approximately 200–500 thousand guns are stolen each year by criminals from those who legally obtained the guns [6]. The third way is through private sales, which account for around 40% of guns [7]. This is easily the most alarming method of distribution, as it demonstrates just how easy it is to obtain a firearm in the United States without a criminal background check. Guns can be easily advertised and sold without paperwork at gun shows, often called “the gun show loophole”. According to the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence, “the gun show loophole refers to the fact that prohibited purchasers can avoid required background checks by seeking out…unlicensed sellers at gun shows” [8]. Finally, armslist.com is a webpage also used to advertise and purchase guns without background checks or paperwork. Any given day, there is an estimated 70,000 guns advertised on Armslist, including assault rifles [9].
People without harmful intent account for the remainder of gun deaths, with around two-thirds of all deaths as suicides [10]. These are guns that are legally obtained by a person who passed a background check. They may be used in the home for protection or for recreational purposes. Unfortunately, some of these guns cause injury or death due to accidents while cleaning firearms or when in the hands of inexperienced youth.
According to the Brady Campaign, “this isn’t a gun problem, it’s a responsibility problem” [11]. The organization proposes several clear solutions to preventing death by firearms in the future. The first is a new policy, including some expansions on the Brady background checks [12]. Second is an attack on “bad apple dealers” who turn a blind eye or even advocate for the aforementioned straw purchases. New technology like fingerprinting that would make guns inoperable for nonowners is another potential solution [13]. Most importantly, a major social change through education and campaigns is needed in order to initiate real progress.
References
[1] Brady Campaign. “Pathology of Gun Violence.” YouTube. September 02, 2014. Accessed August 06, 2018. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CBZfsHEmJR0.
[2] Brady Campaign. “Pathology of Gun Violence.” August 06, 2018. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CBZfsHEmJR0.
[3] Brady Campaign. “Pathology of Gun Violence.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CBZfsHEmJR0.
[4] AJ. “Chicago’s Struggle With Gun Violence, Part 1 | AJ Docs.” YouTube. February 23, 2017. Accessed August 06, 2018. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QbkA1e_uj_E.
[5]Brady Campaign. “Pathology of Gun Violence.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CBZfsHEmJR0.
[6] Brady Campaign. “Pathology of Gun Violence.”. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CBZfsHEmJR0.
[7] Brady Campaign. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CBZfsHEmJR0.
[8] “Gun Show Loophole FAQ.” The Coalition to Stop Gun Violence. Accessed August 07, 2018. https://www.csgv.org/issues-archive/gun-show-loophole-faq/.
[9] Brady Campaign. “Pathology of Gun Violence.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CBZfsHEmJR0.
[10] Brady Campaign. “Pathology of Gun Violence.”.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CBZfsHEmJR0.
[11] Brady Campaign. “Pathology of Gun Violence.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CBZfsHEmJR0.
[12] Brady Campaign. “Pathology of Gun Violence.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CBZfsHEmJR0.
[13] Brady Campaign. “Pathology of Gun Violence.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CBZfsHEmJR0.
