News & Gun Law
Reevaluating Gun Laws and Public Perception After School Shootings in Uvalde, Texas
Unfortunately, increased school shootings have become a trend in the United States. Not too long ago, in 2022, in Texas, a gunman caused a devastating tragedy by murdering 19 children and two teachers. This incident reignited debates surrounding gun laws and how the public views gun control. To address this topic, this essay will assess Texas’ current gun laws, explore how school shootings shape public opinion on gun control, and suggest possible solutions for reviewing gun laws after school shootings.
After the school shooting, Texas’ relaxed gun laws have been scrutinized. In 2023, a court decision permitted alleged domestic abusers to carry guns, causing distress among those who advocate for domestic violence victims. A recent analysis of gun ownership and violence in Texas showed unexpected patterns. Surprisingly, while Texas has a high ownership rate, it has a low gun violence rate compared to other states. Regardless, school shootings and other firearm events still happen in Texas.
It’s been recently debated how people view gun laws after school shootings. Most Americans support stricter gun laws as of September 2021, but people’s opinions differ depending on their political views. Media coverage of mass shootings also influences public attitudes toward gun control and mental illness.
Multiple factors impact what people think about gun laws.
Gun laws and public perception are intertwined in school shootings. The issue requires a nuanced approach, as attitudes toward gun control vary depending on political affiliation. Although stricter gun laws receive majority support, prior media coverage of mass shootings affects public opinion on gun control and mental illness.
Scrutiny has fallen on Texas for its relaxed firearm regulations, spawned by school shootings. Domestic violence advocates have expressed concern after a court ruling granted alleged domestic abusers the right to bear arms. Texas has a lower rate of gun violence than numerous other states, although occurrences of gun violence, such as school shootings, continue. This is supported by years of data analysis on gun ownership and violence in Texas.
Recent occurrences like the Dallas school shooting have reopened discussions concerning gun laws. Amongst the many suggested solutions, one stands out: gun buybacks, a program where individuals surrender their firearms in exchange for cash or other rewards. Looking into past gun buybacks, it was discovered that they could be an effective means of collecting crime guns. Nevertheless, this solution has its fair share of criticism and is regarded as ineffective by specific individuals regarding reducing gun violence. Alternatively, stricter background checks for those interested in purchasing firearms have been proposed as another solution. Just recently, lawmakers in California proposed a bill in June of 2022 to expand background checks to include ammunition purchases.
Citation
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- Mental illness and reduction of gun violence and suicide. (n.d.) Retrieved June 5, 2023, from www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4211925/
- Improving the Potential Effectiveness of Gun Buyback …. (n.d.) Retrieved June 5, 2023, from www.researchgate.net
Originally published at https://original.newsbreak.com.
