National Gun Violence Awareness Day: Highlighting the International Response
What do you think the U.S. could learn from other countries?
Editor's note: Emma Kansiz is a writer for Causes.com. She grew up in Canada and currently lives in Mexico.
Today is National Gun Violence Awareness Day, an appropriate time to reflect on the choices we have - and haven't - made as a nation in the battle against gun violence.
As a nation, Canada subscribes to many of the same grandiose values that make firearms a fixture in America: sweeping narratives of the great outdoors, self-reliance, and the often illusory "battle" of human vs. nature.
But, by and large, we don't elevate guns to such symbolic heights, nor do we culturally imbue them with sociocultural meaning.
In the U.S., guns are a symbol of the value of freedom itself.
But I have to ask myself, is the freedom to own a firearm more pressing than the freedom to attend school, work, and places of worship without persistent fear?
With 46% of the world's guns (and only 5% of its population), there is no denying that the awe around guns and their necessity to the national character is a deeply entrenched problem in America.
Tragically, the citizenry of the U.S. has grown used to daily reports of gun violence, mass shootings, and attacks on society's most vulnerable members, our children. As a culture, we North Americans often become numb to the vile news cycle and lose hope that we can make legislative and policy changes that will stem the violence. It can be worryingly easy to resign oneself to the government's lack of meaningful response and inaction.
But there is nothing "inevitable" about the American response to gun violence. It could be instructive and illuminating to learn about how other countries respond to incidents of gun violence and mass shootings. By educating ourselves on alternative responses, our convictions and hope could strengthen.
We do not have to live this way. We do not have to constantly fear that our child's school will be next. We do not have to avoid the grocery store out of fear of strangers and fellow citizens. Change is challenging, and there are tens of thousands of lobbyists committed to preventing this change. Still, as an informed and angry citizenry, we can make a difference with dedicated, consistent effort.
Many commentators point to the challenges we face.
Margaret Huang, the Executive Director of Amnesty International USA, said:
"The US government is prioritizing gun ownership over basic human rights. Despite the huge number of guns in circulation and the sheer number of people killed by guns each year, there is a shocking lack of federal regulations that could save thousands."
Rob Bernstein, co-chair of the IBA Human Rights Law Committee, said:
"The well-funded and well-organized gun lobby led by the National Rifle Association is the greatest challenge for reforms. Too many legislators are beholden to gun lobby money."
What are the global statistics on gun violence?
The following statistics are from Amnesty International. The statistics draw attention to how gun violence impacts community life, healthcare and education access, sexual violence rates, and social breakdown.
- More than 500 people die every day from gun violence.
- 44% of all homicides globally involve gun violence.
- There were 1.4 million firearm-related deaths globally between 2012 and 2016.
- An estimated 2,000 people are injured by gunshots every single day.
- At least 2 million people are living with firearm injuries around the globe.
- There are 8 million new small arms and up to 15 billion rounds of ammunition produced each year.
- The small arms trade is worth an estimated U.S. $8.5 billion per year.
International responses to gun violence
Canada
- Canada experienced a total of 19 school shootings between 1884 and 2016. The deadliest of these events was the Ecole Polytechnique massacre in Montreal, which resulted in 15 deaths.
- Canada ranks fifth globally in gun ownership, with 35 guns per 100 residents.
- Following a 2020 mass shooting, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced a ban on "assault-style" firearms. This legislation required anyone who owns the prohibited firearms to either participate in a buyback program or comply with a strict storage regime.
Australia
- Following the Port Arthur massacre in 1996, Australia made sweeping changes to its gun legislation. They introduced the National Agreement on Firearms, which essentially prohibited automatic and semiautomatic assault rifles and mandated licensing and registration.
- The government also announced a gun buyback program and took 650,000 weapons, one-sixth of the national gun stock, out of circulation.
United Kingdom
- After the 1987 Hungerford massacre, Britain introduced the Firearms (Amendment) Act, which expanded the list of banned weapons, including certain semiautomatic rifles, and increased registration requirements.
- After the 1996 Dunblane tragedy that killed 16 schoolchildren and one adult, the Snowdrop Petition was born, which helped promote legislation that banned handguns, with few exceptions.
- The majority of police officers do not carry firearms — only specially trained officers responding to particular emergencies or operations carry a firearm. Advocates of this method deem it an example of policing by consent as opposed to force.
Norway
- After 77 people were killed during a shooting at an island summer camp in 2011, one of the deadliest mass shootings in history, Norway had a reckoning about its already strict gun laws.
- In 2021, the Norwegian parliament approved a ban on semiautomatic firearms.
- Norway ranks 14th in the world in gun ownership but near the bottom in gun homicide rates. The U.S. gun death rate is 44 times higher.
Japan
- Although Japan has a population of 125 million, fewer than 100 people die from gun violence annually.
- Most guns are illegal under Japan's Firearms and Sword Law. Before a gun license is granted, applicants must obtain formal instruction, pass written, mental, and drug tests, and a background check.
- Gun owners must inform the authorities of how their weapons and ammunition are stored and commit to annual firearm inspections.
New Zealand
- Following the hate-motivated Christchurch shooting, where 51 people were killed, and 50 others were wounded, New Zealand introduced stricter gun laws. Less than a month later, New Zealand's Parliament voted 119-1 to implement a nationwide ban on semiautomatic weapons and assault rifles.
- Hundreds of citizens voluntarily surrendered their weapons to authorities.
- Since 2004, there have been 105 gun-related homicides in New Zealand, whereas there were 5,752 gun deaths between Jan. and May 2019 alone in the U.S., according to the Gun Violence Archive.
- Then Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said:
"Australia experienced a massacre and changed its laws. New Zealand has had its experience and changed its laws. To be honest with you, I don't understand the United States."
What do you think the U.S. could learn from other countries?
—Emma Kansiz
(Photo Credit: Twitter/PatsLadi99)
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That strict regulations on hunting-type weapons work. No one needs a semi-auto weapon that has a capacity for more than 3 rounds for hunting.
The US can and should learn from other countries that have experienced mass gun violence to swiftly enact legislation to ban assault weapons, institute stricter background checks, and enforce safe storage of personal weapons. The one thing other countries don't have is a powerful gun lobby which is dictating the lack of swift and meaningful gun reform. The leading cause of children's deaths in this country is gun violence. We owe the younger generations better than this.
Calls for woman's arrest grow after the fatal shooting of her neighbor in Florida
Kids playing black neighbor have gun will shoot! Many more of these to come! Can't make a turn in someone's driveway, can't knock on someones door - kids fundraising watch out / delivery - mail - door to door etc all at risk
home school hospital church no safe place
welcome to america
Time to relocate
SHAME ON CONGRESS
SHAME ON JUDICIARY & SCOTUS
That we need more regulations!
Never give up the 2nd Amendment rights - that is what you learn. You learn that the US government is a tyrannical force that needs to be broken down and simplified. You learn that government thinks they own your kids and wants to sexify them. You learn its Trump time followed by Neuremberg trials for the theft from the American people and crimes against humanity against the American people. You learn that government burecrats need to be booted and never return. You learn that government is too well compensated and Social Security and Medicare is good enough for them as well.
This is what you learn..
The basics. we haven't even learned them yet.
CAUSES ASKS: "What do you think the U.S. could learn from other countries [about how to counter gun violence)?" ME: Very, very simple: Make it very, very hard to get and keep guns and lo! Gun deaths go down. This is not rocket science.
Most other countries that have had mass shootings, banned semiautomatic guns and assault rifles, but not the United States. The U.S. has many mass shootings killing a number of students and people,and can barely increase the qulifications to own a gun! The Second Amendment says we have a right to own a gun, but that doesn't include assault weapons! You don't need an assault weapon to protect your home and family, for a normal gun or rifle will do that! You don't use an assualt weapon to hunt, a rifle works just fine for that! In fact, there is NO reason for assault weapons to be in the hands of anyone except SWAT teams or the military! The U.S. is the only country with so many mass shootings caused by assault weapons that hasn't yet banned them!!! How many people must die before we stop the use of assault weapons?! The NRA has bought the Republican Party, but just where do the Democrats stand on this issue? No one knows for sure. Everything good this country has achieved is being pushed back! We are actually moving backwards, not forwards! We have not learned anything from our mistakes! We now allow HATE to flourish, even though all humans are made the same! Ask youselves what is gained by hate? Absolutely nothing! Our Congress doesn't seem to follow the Constitution anymore, even though everyone of them took the same OATH OF OFFICE to follow and protect the Constitution! Do they represent their constituents or their Political Party? They all need to read Article I of the Constitution that explains what their job is! They have mismanaged Social Security and Medicare, which was never to be used for anything other than what it was created for. Yet the Republicans used Social Security money to buy computers! Those religious groups pushing for NO Abortions to "save a life" don't speak against assault weapons. It makes no sense!
That -hey! Guess what?! GUNS kill people!
We could learn everything. We have sunk to the bottom of the barrel. We used to lead the world. We have become mega losers. We follow ignorant losers. We love the lowest common denominators. So we will keep dropping like a stone. When you are impressed by people we should be laughing at, like Kardashians and trumps and that embarrassment in Florida, we doom ourselves to be the laughing stock of the world. And we no longer lead. Except in the magnitude of our pond scum.
We have a national health crisis with guns and it is not being addressed.We could learn from other countries, such as New Zealand, where a gun tragedy occurred several years ago and was completely addressed with stronger legislation. No further major incidents happened since then.
Many in the US think we are the best in everything we do and close their eyes to ideas and innovations from elsewhere. Just as one example: after one horrific shooting spree in New Zealand, it took one week before drastic gun safety laws were enacted. All we do in the US is cry big crocodile tears and then go on killing one another. If we just took that one idea, we would substantially reduce or eliminate gun deaths. It takes courage, something the NRA-beholden Republican party does not have.
Ban assault weapons. Create, vote and practice common sense gun legislations at all levels of government.
EVERYTHING!
We have no right to call ourselves the "Best Country in the World" with how badly the general public is treated!
Look at us with the most guns and the most gun deaths and the NRA says more guns. Look at the other countries with fewer guns and fewer deaths. We could do the same and learn from the rest of the world.
The American worker should never have to work for meager wages at 2 to 3 jobs and STILL not make ends meet! Trickle down is absolute rubbish!
In a country where immigrants are running rabid and gangs are ruining our schools, I don't see a way around this. Our society doesn't respect human life. Our government doesn't respect parental authority.
Citizens need to protect ourselves and our neighbors because the police are no longer valued or are given the tools to be effective.
These are all signs of unlawful and disorder that our government encourages.
Here's with the American people need to learn: Guns don't kill, Republicans do.
The countries listed here have had tragedies similar to the U.S. The main difference, is that they LEARNED from them and banned weapons that are nothing but killing machines. I was interested in Australia in particular, where all kinds of creatures exist that can kill a person and they have very strict (and sensible, I might add) gun laws. In the U.S., the NRA (a NON-PROFIT organization...how this group fits this particular moniker, I have NO idea....when the head of it wears suits that cost 1000s of dollars, has multiple houses, yachts and Lord knows what...and the group backs candidates who back them with MILLIONS in campaign funds and this group pays ZERO taxes! It boggles the mind!) preaches "2nd Amendment rights" to the heavens....One is NOT "Free" they insist, unless one has ownership of items of mass destruction! I would submit, that living in fear of being blown away at a theater, a restaurant, a concert, a school/college, the church of your choice or a ballroom dance studio FFS, is the OPPOSITE of Freedom.
The US has the highest number of gun deaths and gun ownership of all developed countries, and is in a race to the bottom of the 3rd world with El Salvador and Guatemala, in gun deaths.
https://www.kdnuggets.com/2012/12/new-poll-gun-violence-vs-gun-ownership.html