Terror and guns
The April 15 bomb attack at the Boston Marathon sparked a national outpouring of solidarity and concern and put the threat of terrorism back on the front page. Meanwhile, a modest gun control bill went down to defeat in the Senate.
As horrifying as the Marathon bombings were, it should be noted that only three people died in the attack, but on that same day 11 Americans were murdered by guns. Marc Cohen pointed out in the Guardian that over 30,000 Americans are killed by guns each year in the United States, whereas only 17 people died in this country last year from terrorist attacks. More people have lost their lives to guns in America already this year than were killed on 9/11 or were killed in combat in Iraq.
It’s understandable that the threat of terrorism causes great fear. But why ignore the mayhem on our streets that every day of the year devastates families and communities? Terrorist threats demand vigilance, and the government has responded to the threats by creating an extensive security and intelligence capability—assets impressively displayed after the Marathon bombing. Why can’t the nation display the same kind of resolve and vigilance when it comes to keeping guns out of the hands of the wrong people?
