The week’s worst news, of course, was the mass shooting in Uvalde, TX. Never forget: Women in the US are 28 times more likely to be killed by guns than women in other high-income countries (many more mass shooting facts at the link for those interested).
The 18-year-old male shooter — whose name I’ll avoid because murderers don’t deserve publicity — was a little young to call him a misogynist a-hole; but in addition to the children, he shot and killed his grandmother and two female teachers: Irma Garcia, 23-year teacher and mother of four, whose husband passed away of a heart attack shortly after losing her; and Eva Mireles, 17-year teacher, “loving wife and mother,” also owned by three “furry friends”.
Please take a moment to also say the children’s names (where family spoke to the press, more information and photos are available at the link): Nevaeh Bravo, 10; Jacklyn Jaylen Cazares, 10; Makenna Lee Elrod, 10; Jose Flores, 10; Eliahna Garcia, 10; Uziyah Garcia, 10; Amerie jo Garza, 10; Xavier Lopez, 10; Jayce Carmelo Luevanos, 10; Tess Mata, 10; Maranda Mathis, 11; Alithia Ramirez, 10; Annabell Rodriguez, 10; Maite Rodriguez, 10; Alexandria Aniyah Rubio, 10; Layla Salazar, 11; Jailah Nicole Silguero, 11; Eliahana Cruz Torres, 10; and Rojelio Torres, 10. Most lists do not mention the wounded, but there were several. Some of the above information was double checked with other sources.
The United States is not the only country with mental illness, domestic violence, or hate-fueled ideologies, but our gun homicide rate is 25 times higher than other high-income countries.1 The difference is easy access to guns.
There are a lot of things that were horrible about the response to the school shooting in Uvalde Texas, and there are hints (or shouts) of racism that will have to be sorted out. But this also addresses the connection between domestic violence and mass shootings.
The Uvalde shooter had a history of threatening rape and other violence toward women on the social media app Yubo. He was reported multiple times, but never got more than a temporary suspension. This is the biggest red flag in mass shooting cases, and the one that always seems to be ignored.
And quick fact check: Bill Cassidy says people need AR-15 to hunt feral pigs. Total deaths in the US from feral pigs: 5 since 1825. Just this one school shooting had a whole order of magnitude more victims than that.
California Is Taking Action: In February, California Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan of San Ramon introduced a state bill targeting the marketing of firearms to children and those not legally allowed to possess them. It passed out of the California state Assembly last week. Also a bill by San Francisco Assemblymember Phil Ting, specifying that the state can bring lawsuits against gun manufacturers based on their marketing.
...That exception is already included in federal law, but gun makers have challenged that interpretation in court.
Are guns actually marketed to children? Consider the logo of Wee 1 Tactical, the producer of the just-for-kids JR-15: “Two skulls with a target in one eye and a pacifier in each mouth. One skull has a mohawk and the other has pigtails.”...
Federally: Here is a Daily Kos petition to end the filibuster to finally pass some common-sense gun reforms (and an end to the filibuster would also allow us to get a lot more Democratic priorities passed!), actionnetwork.org/… After you sign, if DKos responds to you as it did to me, it will hook you up with donating to Daily Kos in order to help fund the fight against the NRA.
Another Daily Kos petition might also help: Demand that the Faux Network stop promoting white replacement theory, which fuels so much unreasoning fear and hatred: actionnetwork.org/… It too then asks you to donate to DKos.
Or you can donate to other organisations in this fight such as Everytown above, or work with them on any of their many ways to take action. And next weekend, wear orange for National Gun Violence Awareness Weekend, whether or not you are able to attend an event!
