Regarding gun violence in the United States, there are a couple of things to keep in mind before we conclude that the gun violence is caused by an abundance of guns.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Let\u2019s take mass shootings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
According to Statista<\/a>, of the mass shooting that occurred in the United States between 1982 and 2019, 2.6% were committed by women. However, women make up 36% of the people who own guns<\/a>. If gun ownership is connected to gun violence, then shouldn\u2019t women make up a proportion of mass shooters closer to 36% than 2.6%?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Likewise, during the same period, black people accounted for 16.7% of the perpetrators of mass shootings<\/a>. Gun ownership is 19% black<\/a>. Same goes for Latin Americans: 8.8% of mass shootings<\/a> but 20% gun ownership<\/a>. If gun ownership is connected to gun violence, then shouldn\u2019t black people make up a proportion of mass shooters closer to 19% than 16% and Latin Americans closer to 20% than 8.8?<\/p>\n\n\n\n On the other hand, men make up 97.4% of those responsible for mass shootings yet only 64% of gun owners. As well, white people make up 57% of mass shootings<\/a> despite making up only 41% of gun owners<\/a>. Men make up a larger proportion of perpetrators of mass shootings than they do for gun ownership. Likewise, white people make up a larger proportion of perpetrators of mass shootings than they do gun ownership.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Maybe it\u2019s not gun ownership we should be talking about. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Maybe we should be discussing why men are responsible for almost all of the US mass shootings over a period spanning nearly 4 decades? Maybe we should be discussing why white people are disproportionately responsible for more US mass shootings than any other ethnic group.<\/p>\n\n\n\n