The recent news of a couple possibly (three) gunman shooting innocent civilians in San Bernardino, CA has prompted a number of news outlets to point out that this is nothing new. Mass shootings – defined as shootings at a public place in which the shooter murdered four or more people, excluding domestic, gang and drug violence – are happening more than once a day in 2015. Indeed, an interactive map that identifies each location since the December 2012 Sandy Hook shooting gives an alarmingly dense coverage of the U.S. The map included in this article only shows the locations (deep red circles indicate places where more than one shooting took place), but the actual map (located here: http://www.vox.com/a/mass-shootings-sandy-hook) tells the actual date and location of each incident.

The total: 1,042 mass shootings, 1,312 people killed, 3,764 wounded. These numbers are compiled by Mass Shooting Tracker, which, the website notes, is crowdsourced and requires that all circles on the map be verified with news reports. It may be missing some incidents.

Despite these alarming numbers, mass shootings still make up a small minority of all firearm deaths in America – which total more than 32,000 each year. However, contrary to what you may hear, two-thirds of those deaths are suicides, not homicides. Nevertheless, when you add in all the statistics, in 2012, the most recent year that we have accurate numbers, there were 29.7 firearm related deaths per 1 million Americans. The comparable statistic in Canada is 5.1. In Germany, the rate is even lower: 1.9 per 1 million citizens. One possible explanation for a violent death rate that is orders of magnitude higher than other countries is clear: more guns. The U.S. makes up about 4.4% of the total global population, but owns 42% of the world’s civilian-owned guns.

To make deep meaning of guns, ammunition, and the myriad violent situations, we must gain a much broader perspective. Guns are rooted in fear. Gayle’s article written earlier this year Click Here offers a personal story of her widening perspective. When we are able to open, and open further, and even further still, we see the humanity of our situation. We recognize that taking another life, or taking our own life, is a profound loss. The brilliance and energy and love and wisdom of any individual (no matter how deranged) is gone forever. Each human has the capacity to be awakened and enlightened. Where do assault rifles – only meant to kill – have a place in this world?

Source:

http://www.vox.com/a/mass-shootings-sandy-hook