Epidemic of gun violence in America: What can Desis do?

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Gun violence is a leading cause of deaths in the United States, with rates higher than most developed and developing countries.  Every day more than 120 people are killed by guns, twice as many shot and wounded. With only 4.2 percent of the world's population, USA accounts for 46 percent of global civilian gun ownership. 

Since 1999, mass shootings in the US have continued to erupt in schools, theaters, supermarkets, restaurants, places of worship, and malls, basically most public places. Essentially, no place is safe. Americans are living in fear.  We have seen time and again that each act of gun violence is succeeded by prayers, candles, flowers, widespread media coverage, and resolution to act but nothing really happens.

What is causing this epidemic of gun violence?  The Second Amendment was ratified in 1791 according to the needs of those times. It is obsolete now, since security needs have drastically changed. One sentence in the Second Amendment has created colossal confusion: “A well-regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.” 

The sentence moves from rights of well-regulated militia to rights of people; proclaims that people have some providential proclamation right to bear arms and then kill human beings indiscriminately. Another huge obstacle is the gun advocacy group, National Rifles Association (NRA), founded in 1871 having currently 4 million members. NRA is considered by the IRS to be operating exclusively for the promotion of social welfare.  Well, it is just the opposite. Legislators continue to curry favor with NRA and other gun-advocacy groups to get funding for campaigning during election times.

More than one million human lives have been lost due to guns since 1990. In our view, it is a Gun Holocaust in America. Should we wait till a friend, acquaintance or a member of our extended family becomes a victim of gun violence? 

Firearm violence in the US is an unrelenting clinical, public health, societal, and political concern of major proportion. The morbidity and mortality attributed to firearms have continued to increase; have adversely and profoundly affected individuals, families, and communities. 

Let us look at the major mass shootings in our country: Las Vegas Strip Massacre in 2017; Orlando Nightclub Massacre in 2016; Virginia Tech Massacre in 2007; Sandy Hook Elementary massacre in 2012; Texas First Baptist Church Massacre in 2017; Luby's Massacre In Texas in 1991; San Ysidro McDonald's Massacre in California, 1984; El Paso (TX) Walmart Mass Shooting in 2019); Robb Elementary School Massacre in Uvalde, Texas, 2022; Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Shooting in Florida, 2018; United States Postal Service Shooting in Oklahoma, 1986; San Bernardino Mass Shooting in California, 2015; Binghamton, NY Shootings in 2009; Columbine High School Massacre in Colorado in 1999.  

The number of people killed in each one of these has ranged from 58 to 14 and number of injured from 546 to 4. A hoax that keeps getting repeated in speeches by the gun lobby and politicians is that mental sickness is the cause of homicides. Not true. Less than 5 percent of mass shootings have been executed by mentally sick people.  The 2018 Florida High school shooting in 2018 led to very visible and passionate youth marches in USA and worldwide. Even these did not weaken the resolve of the gun lobbyists to yield.  Gun Violence has become a fixture in American Life.  The national psyche has become numb to such epidemic of gun violence.  

Gun violence is estimated to cost the American economy at least $229 billion every year. Let that sink in -- $229 billion. Guns kill more than 38,000 people and cause nearly 85,000 injuries each year.  There is a huge expense incurred over doctors, nurses, hospitals, law enforcement professionals and first responders. American Public Health Association (APHA) recognizes that a comprehensive public health strategy to address this alarming gun violence crisis cannot wait anymore. There is also impact on injured/disabled victims’ quality of life and lost wages along with fractured families, neighborhoods, and communities. It is mind boggling that more than five per cent of America’s children have witnessed a shooting. 

Birth of Ahimsa, End Gun Violence

The South Asian community has generally ignored the threat of gun violence. But Indian Americans, like other minority groups, are unfortunately not immune to gun violence. For example, Aishwarya Thatikonda was among nine people killed in a mass shooting in Dallas, TX on May 6, 2023; a 61-year-old Telangana man was shot dead by a teenager in a carjacking incident in November 2018; a 25-year-old Indian youth was among three killed when a gunman opened fire in a bank building in Cincinnati on September, 2018; in a hate crime, a US Navy Veteran killed Srinivas Kuchibhotla while injuring two  men –Alok Madasani and Ian Grillot-- in February 2017; and in the Wisconsin Sikh Gurudwara, a  mass shooting on Aug. 5, 2012, killed seven people and wounded four others. 

And finally, the desis woke up. Desis representing Indian Americans and Indian diaspora decided to launch an organization to address the root causes of the epidemic and to educate our youth to spearhead a long-term sustainable crusade against the madness of gun violence. Underpinning this launch is the belief that Indian Americans are a mere 1.5 percent of the population but contribute 6% of the taxes and are successful in several professions like engineering, IT, education, medicine, law, and politics and as such can wield a huge influence in waging a meaningful war against this madness. 

A community organization Ahimsa-End Gun Violence was born on April 18, 2023 to promote voting based on this single issue. Youth are our best hope to work to elect state and federal political representatives who help pass stricter gun laws. All Ahimsa Internships in Georgia and Virginia were conducted by Professor Shailendra Palvia and enriched by three guest speakers: Vaisheshi Jalajam, Swati Narayan and Shveta Jain. Swati Narayan has been a crusader for curbing gun violence for over two decades and was an invited participant at the Gun Sense University Conference on June 12, 2024, in Washington DC addressed by President Biden. She was also at the Round Table discussion at the White House regarding gun violence in AAPI communities. 

Ahimsa Internships were graced by local politicians who support sensible legislations to curb gun violence:  Michelle Au, Ashwin Ramaswamy and Michelle King from Georgia and Suhas Subramanyam and Kannan Srinivasan from Virginia. Ahimsa graduate Saankhya Jalajam will be publishing a book of poems on the theme of Ahimsa to end gun violence.  

Ahimsa organization promotes marches, donations to fund candidates that support stricter gun laws, endorse candidates that support stricter gun laws like registering of each gun, mandatory safe storage of guns, not allowing concealed weapons, banning automatic assault weapons, universal background checksand red flag laws. Ahimsa is partnering with Smart Program of Everytown for Gun Safety.  

Politics of Gun Violence

President Biden on Jun. 25, 2022, signed the most sweeping gun violence bill crafted by 65 senators from both parties in decades. This bill will toughen requirements for young people to buy guns, deny sale of firearms to domestic abusers and help local authorities temporarily take away weapons from people judged to be dangerous. 

Trump has been the most pro-gun President in American history, whereas President Biden-Harris team have been the strongest advocates for curbing gun violence. Biden addressed the Gun Sense University Conference on June 11, 2024, and promised to take several initiatives to curb gun violence. 

Recently speaking to thousands of NRA supporters, Trump vowed, if re-elected, he will undo all restrictions enacted by President Joe Biden on his first day of taking office. Following a school shooting in January, Trump while expressing condolences for the victims, told his supporters to “get over it” and they needed “to move forward”. Trump’s recipe on stopping gun violence has been to arm people including teachers with guns.

Our rights to walk safely, shop safely, learn safely, worship safely, even sleep safely are under attack due to rampant gun violence.   The most powerful nation in the world is powerless when it comes to protecting its citizens against terrorism perpetrated by gun advocates—NRA, gun manufacturers, gun lobbyists, and politicians who are hostage to gun lobbyists. The Democrats invariably favor tighter restrictions on gun purchases and ownership. Republicans, with the support of gun rights groups, largely oppose strict laws in the name of the Second Amendment even though more than 70 percent of people clearly opine in favor of having sensible gun laws enacted and then enforced. 

 

Dr. Shailendra C. Palvia is Professor Emeritus of MIS at Long Island University (LIU) Post.

Subhojit Roy is an Atlanta-based independent software consultant in mission critical applications.

 

(The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of New India Abroad)