Armed violence in the streets has already claimed more American lives than any war that the US has ever waged, in fact the total number of gun violence victims has already surpassed all the wars the country has ever fought, from the American Revolution to the 2003 invasion of Iraq.
Therefore, it’s hardly surprising that Americans are less afraid of radicals that could commit a terrorist attack somewhere in the US than of their armed fellow citizens, notes both The Huffington Post amd YouGov.
According to the Raw Story story report so far over 1,008 people have been shot in Chicago this year alone, with at least 182 fatally. There were also 3,500 shootings, mostly concentrated in poor sections of the city with rampant gang and drug-related violence.
Last year Chicago’s authorities would report 762 murders, 3,550 shooting incidents, and 4,331 shooting victims.
Nevertheless, the number of residents applying for a firearms license in the third largest city of the US has been skyrocketing for a long time now, overtaking any other American city in terms of those willing to arm oneself, The Daily Caller notes. Some gun instructors attribute this rise to residents’ desire to arm themselves in a particularly violent city.
It has also been noted that the city plans to hire nearly 1,000 additional officers over two years to address the problem, and is increasingly relying on high-tech solutions. Chicago police has also become the first US police agency to use a new web tool where residents can anonymously report crimes.
But why the US, that likes to advertise itself as the most democratic country in the world, an ever increasing number of residents is getting murdered in broad daylight. The Rasmussen Reports is convinced that this phenomenon can be attributed to the fact that it’s easier to get a gun in America than it used to be.
Aside from all sorts of gun manufacturers producing all sorts of guns, one can even buy a handgun that would resemble an Iphone. As it’s been reported an American company that specializes in manufacturing concealed weapons start selling guns designed to resemble iPhones, that would still be much cheaper that an average smartphone. Ideal Conceal is a double-barreled 380-calibre handgun and is being advertised as an easy blend in today’s environment.
Moreover, silencers are now being advertised in the US as a tool for hearing protection. The American gun industry is trying to shake off the Hollywood hitman image of the gun silencer in a bid to re-brand, thus rolling back regulations that date to the 1930s. As of now the US gun lobby has managed to make silencers legal for carrying in a total of 16 states. However, today the defenders of arms owners’ rights are demanding the Congress to bring down a law, which demands months-long background checking procedures that are necessary when a person is acquiring weapons with a silencer.
And US lawmakers are willing to meet any sort of demands of the gun lobby, since selling people weapons in American makes them filthy rich, despite the rapidly growing number of civilian casualties that were killed or injured in firefight incidents. Among such legislation initiatives is the lift of a ban on the sale of guns to those who are suffering from different mental disorders, which was originally introduced by the former US administration.
So it’s getting easier and easier to kill a person in the US these days…
Grete Mautner is an indepenent researcher and journalist from Germany, exclusively for the online magazine “New Eastern Outlook.”
Source