Yet another mass shooting in America, and the world is reeling because change is unfortunately unlikely
As a human being, as a woman, as a Journalist, as a daughter, and as a friend, I was wholeheartedly saddened to hear of the Texas mass shooting in Uvalde, at Robb Elementary School.
I was, and still am angry, sad, and horrified, but unfortunately, not surprised.
Guns are woven into the fabric of America, in particular, Texas.
It’s becoming clearer after each senseless murder, that lawmakers are more worried about protecting their gun rights than they’re innocent people.
Enough is enough.
It’s almost ten years since the Sandy Hook mass shooting where 20 children were murdered.
You would assume that particular massacre would’ve been enough to ignite change in American gun rights, but it wasn’t.
Now, another group of children has been slaughtered in their classrooms. So what is the threshold before something is done?
"The United States has determined that owning guns has costs and one of those costs is human lives… Right now the lives of no one matters…not even our children."
Children shouldn’t have to live in fear. The kids of Uvalde were just two days out from summer vacation, where they should be just that- kids.
Now, the selfish and barbaric actions of one 18-year-old individual, who had easy access to an assault rifle, stole their futures away.
Moments of silence are not enough, condolences are not enough.
This does not happen as frequently in any other country in the world. So why is the political appetite for change in America so low?
“You cannot separate the fabric of gun ownership from the reality of being American”
megran pratz, cheddar
Megan pratz, cheddar
Gun law overhaul
Here’s what’s being discussed in Congress, in regards to making a change to gun rights.
Currently, federal law does not require unlicensed gun sellers to conduct background checks prior to the purchase of arms.
Dubbed the H.R. 8 bill, it would step up the required background checks before a gun is purchased.
However, it continues to be stalled in the Senate, where it needs ten Republican votes to get through.
It’s now in the process of getting on the upper chamber’s calendar, with many pushing for an urgent vote, even if it’s doomed to fail by Republicans.
They argue that background checks tarnish gun rights and will take away guns.
“You see Democrats and a lot of folks in the media whose immediate solution is to try to restrict the constitutional rights of law-abiding citizens,”
Sen. Ted Cruz, a Texas Republican
House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer will also push for a gun safety bill to be voted on in June.
The proposed bill would “allow family members and law enforcement to obtain an extreme risk protection order to temporarily remove access to firearms for those who are deemed a danger to themselves or to others by a federal court.”
Red flag laws are also in place, but they prove ineffective far too frequently.
They only alert a problem if someone has a criminal history or has been previously deemed mentally ill.
Meaning cases like the 18-year-old suspect in the Uvalde mass shooting slipped through the cracks.
Most regulations on gun rights vary from state to state, because gun regulation cannot pass at the Federal level, with no majority support.
Therefore, it leaves gun use and availability up to the leaders of each state.
At this point in time, gun control will not stop every horrific attack, but it will make a difference.
If you keep doing the same process in life, you will get the same outcome. A mass shooting nearly every week in America is surely enough reason to make a change?
“The President should demand that the Senate meet right now on the gun control bill and let the votes fall where the children die”
Bruce wolpe, U.s studies centre
National Rifle Association meeting
And most distastefully, the National Rifle Association convention is scheduled for this weekend in Houston, Texas.
Attendees at this convention are prohibited from “bringing firearms, firearm accessories, knives, and other items.”
So no guns are allowed at the NRA meeting but an 18-year-old can walk into an elementary school with an assault rifle and massacre innocent people.
The irony in that. As the NRA essentially continues to hold America hostage.
“You’ll see a very paradoxical messaging strategy, where NRA will talk about guns for everyone, everywhere, all the time, while not allowing guns in its own events”
In Short:
– Jerome Powell stated further interest rate cuts are uncertain after recent decreases, aiming to manage market expectations.
– The Fed ended its balance sheet reduction due to lending market disruptions and mixed views on future rate cuts among officials.
Federal Reserve chairman Jerome Powell indicated that further interest rate cuts are not guaranteed following the recent decrease. In a press conference, he stated that a further reduction in December is “far from” certain. His comments aimed to temper market expectations, where the likelihood of another cut was previously estimated at over 90 per cent.In response to Powell’s remarks, yields on the two-year treasury rose, and traders adjusted their expectations, now estimating a 60 per cent chance of a December reduction. Recently, the Federal Open Market Committee voted 10-2 to lower the federal funds rate target range to 3.75-4 per cent, in response to concerns about the labour market.
The Fed has also announced an end to its balance sheet reduction efforts due to disruptions in short-term lending markets. Since 2022, the bank has reduced its asset holdings by over $US2 trillion following aggressive purchases aimed at stabilising the economy after the pandemic.
Policy Divisions
Recent post-meeting statements highlighted mixed views among Fed officials about the pace of future rate cuts. Powell remarked that uncertainty surrounding economic conditions necessitates a cautious approach. Ongoing government shutdowns have limited policymakers’ access to crucial economic data, complicating decision-making.
Recent labour market developments show slowed job gains, raising concerns about employment. The Fed is also cautious about reducing rates too quickly due to inflation remaining above their 2 per cent target, reflecting a complex economic landscape. Policymakers have struggled with decisions amid data limitations from the government shutdown, impacting their assessments of inflation and economic indicators.
In Short:
– Trump and South Korea’s Lee finalised a trade deal requiring $350 billion in U.S. investments.
– Trump anticipates favourable talks with China to reduce tariffs and improve relations.
Donald Trump and South Korean President Lee Jae Myung finalised a contentious trade deal at a summit in South Korea on Wednesday. The U.S. President expressed optimism about an upcoming summit with China’s Xi Jinping.The agreement, unveiled in late July, stipulated that South Korea would make $350 billion in new investments in the U.S. to avoid significant tariffs on imports. However, negotiations on the investment structure had stalled.
Trump and Lee reached a compromise allowing Seoul to divide its $350 billion investment into $200 billion in cash, paid in $20 billion instalments. The remaining $150 billion will be allocated to shipbuilding investments.
Upon arrival from Tokyo, following a North Korea missile test, President Trump received an extravagant welcome in the historic city of Gyeongju, the venue for this year’s Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum.
His discussions with Xi are scheduled for Thursday in Busan. Trump downplayed the North Korea missile test and focused on his meeting with Xi, the leader of the world’s second-largest economy.
“I think we’re going to have a very good outcome for our country and for the world,” Trump stated. He anticipates reducing U.S. tariffs on Chinese imports in exchange for China agreeing to control the export of fentanyl precursor chemicals. The Wall Street Journal reported that tariffs could be halved from the current 20%.
China’s foreign ministry indicated that the upcoming meeting would foster positive developments in U.S.-China relations.