The US President Joe Biden has requested American lawmakers to take action on gun violence and approve a comprehensive policy on assault weapons which had been used in recent carnages across America. Biden made a furious speech and condemned the refusal of a majority of Republican senators to support tougher laws against gun violence in the United States. Biden suggested several steps including strengthening background checks, banning high-capacity magazines, mandating safe storage of firearms, raising age limit from 18 to 21 for purchase of assault weapons and holding gun manufacturers liable for crimes committed with their products. According to him, more school-age children have died from guns than on duty police officers and active-duty military soldiers combined over the past two decades.
There had been a killing spree over the past weeks across the United States from California to New York and from Texas to Oklahoma that cost dozens of lives of American men, women and children while the shooting incidents occurred at public places including schools, markets, and hospitals. The recurrent incidents of violence had prompted a debate on assault weapons among the US lawmakers, TV talk shows, Intelligentsia and academics throughout the country but US Congress failed to pass law to stop such acts of violence against American citizens. Surprisingly, American lawmakers are mulling on cosmetic measures including mental illness of the individuals and enhancement of school safety but reluctant to curb violence through imposition of a complete ban on domestic sale/purchase of firearms, because there are no such situations like Congo, Afghanistan or Sudan those merit possession of assault arms by the citizens for self-defense and protection.
Similarly, the American government is also not ready to put some restrictions on the ever-growing arms manufacturing industry which produces over 11 million arms annually and enjoys deep influence over American Policymakers. Whereas, the enactment of “stand your ground” laws in several American States are another reason for increasing shooting incidents in America. Apparently, American lawmakers are more careful about the businesses, amenities and latent risks instead of the lives of their people.
