The aftermath of the Las Vegas shooting on Sunday brought back the longstanding argument on the need to legislate Gun Control laws to prevent such violence from happening again. Politicians are torn when it comes to this issue but why is it many experts believe that gun control won’t happen in America?
Apart from the recent mass shootings in Las Vegas, the United States also bear witness to several shooting incidents that took many innocent lives, such as the Pulse nightclub incident in Orlando, Sandy Hook and Columbine, among many others.
That’s is why many are calling the attention of political leaders to finally look for effective gun regulation methods.
America’s gun laws unchangeable?
Following the Las Vegas shooting, U.S. Senate Democrats are reportedly pushing to address the technicalities in the nation’s permissive gun legislations. However, experts said that the Vegas attack on Sunday night won’t be the key to “radically alter” the gun laws in the U.S.
It is quite challenging to change the gun regulations in America. The reason? Perhaps it is due to the fact that any push for any gun control measures or accessibility restriction to firearms (for the mentally ill, domestic abusers and terror suspects) has been repeatedly hindered by the Congress? Congress is mostly controlled by the Republicans, some Democrats and independents who are against any alterations to the laws, Global News noted.
According to University of Toronto’s Department of Sociology associate professor Jooyung Lee, the “overall public opinion and political action” on gun control do not meld in America. In addition, only a minority of the population “feel that any change to gun laws” in the country is unacceptable.
No hope for firearm regulation?
When U.S. President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump visited the University Medical Center to meet the injured victims, The Guardian noticed that the president avoided answering inquiries about gun control. Since Trump dodged the issue, a BBC News report explained why the legislation on firearms control seems unlikely to happen in the country.
One reason cited is the National Rifle Association (NRA), which is considered an influential interest group in the American political arena.
With its five million members, the organization contributes funds to individual candidates, state and local parties, the national party and party committees.
Unfortunately, the group opposes the proposals that aim to boost gun regulation or restrictions on gun ownership. SUNY Cortland political science researcher Robert Spitzer even claimed that the organization is “anti-safety technology, but pro-development” when it comes to “more exotic weaponry, advanced features, and things like making it easier to buy silencers," as Wired quoted.
Another reason cited why gun regulation laws are not enacted is gerrymandering, which is defined as an act of “manipulating the boundaries of an electoral constituency to favor one party or class.” Due to this, there are many “safe seats” for Republicans compared to Democrats.
The Senate and the courts
If ever the bill will pass the Congressional scrutiny, it would still face some hurdles in the Senate. With the so-called “filibuster,” the stricter firearm regulation bill should earn the votes of 60 out of 100 senators and not through the simpler 51-vote majority.
In addition, big-city voters like California, Massachusetts or New York are also outnumbered by Southern and rural states, which are pro-gun advocates. As for the stand of the Supreme Court, it ruled that the “right to own personal weapons” like guns is sanctified in the constitution.