#68: Big Problems of the US Election (PART 3)

【Gun Policy】
The residents of the less populous rural states wield disproportionately larger power than one person, one vote to influence the political decisions for the entire country. The troubling truth is that our Constitution, of all things, grants them that power to subvert our democracy. Based on these unfortunate facts, we can’t help but draw a regrettable conclusion that a Constitutional amendment is quite unlikely, even when the vast majority of Americans demand the change.
 
And it’s not only the Constitutional amendment. This problem extends to all matters under the Congressional authority including the gun safety measures, the confirmation of Supreme Court Justices, and the presidential impeachment. In fact, every decision that requires the approval of the Senate diverge far from the democratic principle of one person, one vote. 
 
For example, let’s take up the issue of gun violence, surely one of the worst problems in America today. By the Second Amendment to the US Constitution, the possession of firearms is widely allowed, and this directly leads to gun murders daily. Mass shootings are also common, in fact, so much so that our children need be prepared for the worst just going to school every day. Indeed, we live in an absurd society which doesn’t have to be this way.
 
And the numbers speak for themselves.
 
In 2020 alone, more than 19 thousand people were killed with a gun in America. This equates to over 50 people losing their lives every day. It’s important to note that this figure doesn’t include suicides nor does it include the victims of non-fatal shootings who’ve suffered injuries, disabilities, and traumas. Furthermore, this figure doesn’t capture gun threats, gun assaults, the devastating sorrows of losing a loved one, or the unmeasurable emotional toll from the fear of gun violence.
 
What’s more, in 2020, there were 612 mass shootings as defined by the Gun Violence Archive to be minimum of four victims shot (either fatally or not) excluding any shooter killed or injured in the attack. This means that we have nearly 2 mass shootings a day in America.
 
When compared to countries with strict gun laws such as Japan and United Kingdom, it’s quite evident that America is an ailing country from the gun violence epidemic.
 
So then, we ask the obvious: Confronted with so much suffering, why doesn’t America move forward on its gun safety measures?
 
First of all, what’s clear is the answer to that question is not the general consensus of the American people. In fact, based on the four prominent nationwide polls, roughly 65 to 75% of Americans support stricter gun safety measures. So then, why aren’t the effective gun policies getting implemented?
 
That’s because the Senate blocks those policies. Here, too, the residents of the less populous rural states wield disproportionately larger power than one person, one vote to influence the political decisions for the entire country. The end result is that the vast majority of Americans who demand the change are taken hostage “at gunpoint” by a few who adamantly oppose to enact any effective gun safety measure. And the troubling truth is that our Constitution, of all things, grants them that power to subvert our democracy.
 
In all fairness, it’s a fact that certainly back when Constitution was ratified 230 years ago, and even today, many rural counties in America are so geographically isolated where police response time can be measured in hours even under emergency situations. When we take such circumstance into account, we can show a certain degree of understanding to those who feel the possession of firearms as a necessity for self-defense.
 
Nevertheless, make no mistake, this doesn’t give a free pass to oppose all effective gun safety measures including the ban on military-style assault rifles. Instead, we must seek for a balanced approach that, on the one hand acknowledges a certain degree of necessity of firearms in the geographically isolated rural counties, while on the other hand implements effective gun policy in the larger cities where a vast majority of gun violence takes place.
 
Simply opposing all effective gun safety measures without sincerely seeking for the right balance is not a morally acceptable approach when we wish to bring about a truly heart healing resolution for the victims.
 
Today, we have an American reality where our people learn of the vast perspectives, live amongst the diversity, and accept one another’s uniqueness, all of which enable us to lead the world in areas like the innovative technology. On the flip side, we also have an American reality where our people have no access to the world-class education, live in a closed society, and accept only their own narrow perspective, all of which impede our progress and isolate us from the rest of the world. Both of these realities coexist in America today.
 
The troubling truth is that our Constitution, of all things, is sucking all of us into that closed society.
 
It shows up as the disproportionate allocation of senators by a whopping 68 multiple which undermines the democratic principle of one person, one vote. It shows up in the form of 1 Wyoming gun enthusiast successfully blocking 68 California parents demanding the stricter gun policies just to keep their children safer at school.
 
So, why doesn’t America move forward on its gun safety measures? That is, just as Trump won the 2016 presidential election despite getting 3 million fewer votes, not the general consensus of the American people. The truth is, the vast majority of Americans demand the change. It’s because the residents of the less populous rural states wield disproportionately larger power than one person, one vote to block progress for the entire country – aided by our Constitution granting them that power to subvert our democracy.
 
And that’s the biggest problem of American democracy.

Read Previous: Big Problems of the US Election (2)【Congressional】

Complete Series: Big Problems of the US Election (1)～(3)
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