by Anja Wright, NYS Licensed Real Estate Broker
— Update: 3/28/2023 This post was originally written after the racist Buffalo Tops massacre that took place in Buffalo’s historically African American 14208 zip code. Since then, countless other neighborhoods and quiet communities of the chaotic United States have endured the horror of mass shootings. We ask what will it take to end the chaos?–
This week has been so completely difficult to endure.
Words are not enough to respond to this horrible hateful racist tragedy.
Now is the time for action to make sure this cannot happen once more.
To preface, it needs to be said that we love and are committed to this community.
As such, what is written here is written with the same care, fiduciary responsibility, and loyalty to representing reality that we strive to bring to our individual clients each and every day.
In truth, the people of the United States Of America are being continuously massacred.
In this year 2022, America has had 1.5 mass shootings per day.
By the end of 2019 there were 417 mass shootings, by the end of 2020, there had been 611, and by the end of 2021, there were 693, according to the Gun Violence Archive. https://www.gunviolencearchive.org/
So far in 2022, 16,571 people in the United States have died due to gun violence.
As of May 20th 2022, only 140 days into the year, there have been 206 recorded mass shootings.
In 2020 in America, 79% of all homicides were caused by guns, this is a higher percentage than Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom combined, countries most closely related culturally to the United States Of America. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-41488081
The American people must limit the overwhelming availability of guns in order to reduce gun violence and stop mass shootings.
Detractors may say that we need to protect the 2nd amendment guaranteeing the right to bear arms.
However, it is well known that too much of a good thing can backfire.
It is the American people who need protection, not inanimate objects.
We do not propose banning all guns.
Precisely, we want to make sure that those most likely commit heinous crimes do not have access to guns, especially military style assault weapons like the one used last weekend.
Law abiding citizens registered with their local authorities should still be able to own firearms for their own protection.
The American people can easily follow the example of the people of Australia who in 1996 enacted stricter gun laws and have only had one mass shooting since. https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/australia-marks-25-years-since-worst-mass-shooting-2021-04-28/
The change in laws has widely been attributed to virtually ending mass shootings in the country.
Other nations like Canada and the United Kingdom have also enacted strict gun control laws resulting in barely any mass killings related to gun violence.
Decades have passed since the horrific Columbine murders which are still fresh in everyone’s memory.
It seems like nothing has been done to stem the ever present threat of American citizens peacefully going about their day being killed en masse by evil people with guns.
No American wants to live in a country where they can be targeted and shot down by a terrorist while just getting their groceries.
We can get histrionic, bloviate about political parties, and endlessly debate, or we can unite as a nation and actually work towards the greater goal of building a safe country, finally saying enough is enough.
We humbly ask that you contact your local senator and congressperson, and tell them now is the time for sensible gun control.
Additionally, if you want to purchase firearms, please only buy from ethical manufacturers who are in favor of gun regulations to end mass shootings.
You can find your Senator here: https://www.senate.gov/senators/senators-contact.htm
And your Congressperson here: https://www.house.gov/representatives/find-your-representative
For more information please visit: https://www.everytown.org/
