In Guns We Trust

Amidst the tragedies this month is the legislature for stricter gun control that was voted down. I am extremely disappointed in our elected officials, as it has seemed, at least since the Newtown tragedy in December, that our country has at last been crying out for change.  When the bill wasn't passed, I couldn't believe it. The bill contained nothing extreme--just stricter enforcement on background checks nationwide for those that wish to purchase guns. Given the sheer number of homicides, mass tragedies, and widespread fear that legal and illegal guns alike have caused over the past few years in the US, it seems like a given that we should have tighter restrictions on who's hands guns are landing into. 

I found on the Washington Post, a few different graphics and charts that better explain what might have gone wrong when passing this bill. One idea is that the urgency was gone: it is hard to keep the momentum going with the greater American public, and with the Newtown tragedy fading from memory, Americans weren't keeping the conversation going. 

The second shows that many Americans perhaps really didn't care for the legislation after all. This infograph breaks down some of the different groups that were interested in the bill or not interested in the bill. 

We live in a large, widespread country with people of various backgrounds and belief systems; it can be difficult to unify all these people under one legislature or even to get people to care all about the same thing. I am personally very disappointed in the American people for letting this go by, but these graphs and breakdowns simply demonstrate that truly not as  many people were on board as was necessary. 

Get involved with a group like The Brady Campaign to better reach others about this important issue. Let's not give up hope for a safer America!

--Megan