The United States set a record over the weekend. There were two mass shootings on Sunday, one in Texas and another thousands of miles to the northwest in Washington. Those were the 37th and 38th mass killings of 2023 — a new record. With 24 days left in the year the 2022 record of 36 has been surpassed. Today is supposed to be a new, shiny addition to the NBA schedule with the In-Season Tournament semifinal games in Las Vegas. Prior to both games — Los Angeles Lakers vs New Orleans Pelicans and Boston Celtics vs. Indiana Pacers — expect a moment of silence because there was another tragedy on Thursday.
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At least three people were killed Wednesday on the university campus. The shooter was killed in a firefight with campus police.
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More American lives were lost in a senseless act. It is an American ritual, at this point, to be sad, send out thoughts and prayers, the president issues a statement, and then the loved ones and locals are left to pick up the pieces of their shattered lives.
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In total area, the United States is the third largest country on the planet. Per the most recent data — 2021 — the U.S. has one of the highest gun violence death rateshas a higher firearm homicide rate is Brazil. The U.S. also leads the world in civilian gun ownership.
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In November, the United States Supreme Court heard arguments for a case in which Zackey Rahimi claimed that his Second Amendment rights were violated. A Texas state court issued him a restraining order in February 2020 for abusing his girlfriend. A condition of that order is the prohibition of him from owning firearms.
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Later that year, he went on a shooting spree. Over several weeks, Rahimi shot at people in five different instances. The police found firearms in his home and he would go on to be sentenced to six years in prison. Rahimi is arguing that it was unconstitutional for him to ever not be allowed to own a firearm. The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in favor of Rahimi.
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This is the United States of America. A land in which the safety of its women — and its citizens, in general — is in a perilous state, because it has been ruled by a federal judge that people who have exhibited repeated violent behavior still have the right to own a firearm.