Solutions to America’s complex web of gun violence

Americans are only halfway through the year, and there have already been more than 200 mass shootings. In 2020, gun violence replaced car accidents for the top cause of death among children — with the second leading cause of death being suicide, an overwhelming majority of those caused by firearms.

While politicians struggle to implement solutions to the problem, more people than ever are expected to die by gunfire this year.

“The absolutism that you hear sometimes in rhetoric about the Second Amendment, from gun rights enthusiasts and politicians, simply has no bearing in the text of the Constitution, its history, or Supreme Court precedent.” — Mary McCord, Georgetown University Law Center.

Listen: What will it take to change our relationship to guns?

Guests

Mary McCord is a legal scholar working as the Executive Director of the Institute for Constitutional Advocacy and Protection, and a visiting professor at Georgetown University Law Center.

She says the rhetoric around the Second Amendment is misguided, and that while Americans have the right to bear arms, gun regulations are a historic part of American state legislation.

“The absolutism that you hear sometimes in rhetoric about the Second Amendment, from gun rights enthusiasts and politicians, simply has no bearing in the text of the Constitution, its history, or Supreme Court precedent,” says McCord.

Debbie Dingell is a congresswoman represents Michigan’s 12th Congressional District. She says that in addition to stricter gun control laws, America has a hate problem, where too many communities feel antagonistic toward another one.

“I just think the whole polarization, the spirit of hatred, I do think we all need to worry about the hatred that is in our communities,” says Dingell.