Report by CNN the latest statistics from the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), a US gun trading organization, show that so far this year, the nation’s gun sales have exceeded 15.4 million , and they were sold in September alone. 1.6 million pieces were sold, a 61% increase year-on-year. It is estimated that the annual sales of guns is likely to exceed the 15.7 million in 2016, a record high.
The data also shows that in the first few months after the outbreak of Coronavirus in the United States, guns purchased by first-time gun buyers accounted for about 40% of all guns sold in the United States, far higher than the average of 24% in the past 20 years.
It is not surprising that Americans buy guns. The strange thing is, why did Americans’ enthusiasm for guns soar at this time?
Police brutality is difficult to stop, African-American gun purchases soar
The NSSF also found in its statistics that the number of African-Americans buying guns has increased significantly this year , with a 58% surge in September. The National African American Firearms Federation said that since the beginning of the year, the number of members of the organization has increased by about 5,000 people, an increase of 17%. The police force enforcement is one of the main factors that motivate them to buy guns .
The new corroboration is coming soon:
- Walter Wallace, a 27-year-old African-American man in Philadelphia, USA, was shot by police and died after being sent to the hospital;
- Mark Matthew Bender, a 35-year-old African-American man in San Bernardino, California, was shot and killed by the police for being accused of possessing a weapon;
- Illinois police abused force and shot and killed an unarmed 19-year-old African-American youth Marcelis Steinnett and wounded his girlfriend…
These incidents have all triggered new protests on the ground that “black people are also fate”.
a researcher at the China Institute of Modern International Relations, believes that the increase in first-time gun purchases, especially among African Americans, reflects the current turbulent trend in the United States.
Li Wei talks about increasing gun purchases
“The U.S. has a prominent social division during the four years of President Trump’s administration. In addition, white supremacy racist violence is also increasing, especially this year when black people died under police violent law enforcement (afterwards) ).
With the prospect of the U.S. election still unclear and social conflicts intensifying, one of the American people’s notions is that they own guns to protect themselves. The increase in the number of first-time gun buyers and the increase in the purchase rate of African Americans reflects the United States. The current domestic civil unrest, or some turbulent trends.”
Gun-related crimes become the norm, disadvantaged groups have no choice but to buy guns to protect themselves
NSSF statistics also show that compared with the same period in previous years, the number of American women buying guns soared by about 40% in September this year .
Kelly Pigeon, a gun use trainer, said that frequent riots and robberies have prompted more women to choose to buy guns for self-protection. Since the beginning of this year, many gun use trainers have been overworked.
report by Los Angeles Times, a new study found that, due to fears of the pandemic, violence and chaos, nearly 110,000 people in California have purchased guns, of which 47,000 are their first purchases.
The fears of these disadvantaged groups are not unreasonable. Since the outbreak in the United States
gun-related crimes have become the norm throughout the United States, especially in large cities such as New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Houston. In the past few days, there have been many cases:
- there were 6 shooting incidents in New York City, resulting in 3 deaths and 8 injuries;
- a shooting incident occurred in Houston, resulting in 3 deaths and 1 injury;
- occurred in Hollywood, Los Angeles…
According to information published on the US “Gun Violence Archives” website, as of last month, the number of
people who have died in various gun-related cases in the United States has exceeded 30,000 this year .
According to statistics from the FBI, the murder rate in the U.S. in the first half of this year increased by 14.8%. Among them, the murder rate in cities with a population of 250,000 to 500,000 soared by 26%.
The rate of arson in the U.S. increased by approximately 19%, the incidence of arson in cities
with a population of more than one million has soared by 52%.
Frequent violent incidents have plunged the American people into fear, while the surge in gun sales has also caused experts to worry.
“But we must talk about the risks that guns bring to families. People buy Guns don’t mean they know how to use them.”
Li Wei pointed out that people who have severely or even no experience in
using guns have bought guns, which will not only further increase the rate of crimes involving guns, but also increase the risk of accidental injuries.
Li Wei on the accident
“There are some gun schools in the United States that teach how to use guns safely. But we know that these
disadvantaged groups often live at the bottom of society, and it may be difficult
to get funds to go to courses on the safe use of guns.
The increasing number of guns will lead to more and more gun crimes or gun accidents. In short, it will This creates a vicious circle of gun security throughout the United States.”
three cities jointly sued the White House.
In the continuous wave of anti-racial discrimination and anti-police violent law enforcement demonstrations, the contradictions and conflicts between ordinary
Americans and law enforcement authorities, local governments and the federal government have accelerated the antagonism and tearing of American society.
On the 22nd local time, the municipal governments of the three cities of New York, Portland, and Seattle jointly sued the
US federal government against President Trump’s calling the three cities “anarchistic jurisdictions” and depriving them of their responses.
funding subsidy received. The lawsuit stated that Trump’s move was “unconstitutional and common sense” and “has no precedent in the United States”. “It is the defendant, not the city (us), who is doing lawless things.”
Li Wei pointed out that the actions of the above three
cities clearly reflect the current difficulties of American social governance.
And the White House’s wrong response to a series of social issues such as the pandemic
the economy, racial discrimination, and the wave of protests across the United States
together with the help of the “gun buying fever”,
has drawn the United States into the current cycle of violence.
Li Wei on the consequences
Li Wei: “For the sake of the presidential election, the current US government has classified the three cities
(controlled by the Democratic Party) as’anarchist jurisdictions.’
This practice will definitely further intensify the contradictions between the Democratic and Republican parties, and in fact also intensify them. The contradiction between the supporters of the two parties. When this contradiction intensifies, guns will intensify the contradictions and conflicts.
The most fundamental problem of gun violence is not the guns, but the people who use them. It is precisely because these people come out. Guns will certainly contribute to the intensification of various contradictions or make them worse.”
