Columbine, Sandy Hook, Mother Emanuel, Planned Parenthood, Pulse Nightclub and San Bernardino; these locations will forever be tainted with horrific memories of gunfire, bloodshed, and terror. Mass shootings seem to at an all time as the country becomes more politically divided over who or what is the blame for these acts of terror. Just a few days after the one-year anniversary of the Pulse Nightclub Massacre, that left 50 clubbers dead, another mass shooting has rattled the nation.
https://twitter.com/DaemonGraeyson/status/874965209315557376
On Wednesday (Jun 14), James T. Hodgkinson, 66, hid within the dugout behind third base at a baseball field in Virginia and open fired on a group of congressmen practicing. In total, between 50 to 100 rounds were fired between Hodgkinson and the police. Five people were shot, one being Republican Steve Scalise and the shooter. Hodgkinson later died from his injuries. Many are viewing this shooting as a direct attack on Washington due to Hodgkinson’s history and witness reports.
According to the New York Times, Hodgkinson was a 66-year-old Bernie Sanders supporter and volunteered on his campaign. Hodgkinson has expressed his disapproval and disappointment of the 2016 Presidential Election to his brother and was planning protest in Washington. According to witness statements, before he entered the baseball field, he asked a group of men which political party was the players affiliated with and once he found out that the majority were Republicans, he implemented his attack.
Democrats and Republicans are going head to head on gun control to reach a solution to change the grim reality in America. Most can agree that guns do not kill people, people kill people. But the question still stands how can we limit who can obtain a gun without restriction Americans 2nd Amendment right to bear arms. Democrats have proposed laws that restrict mentally ill persons with a history of depression, suicidal thoughts, and anxiety.
Rep. Steve Scalise is a republican that has openly spoken against democrats and liberals gun control laws and ironically is one of the victims of the shooting. In March of 2015, Scalise commended republicans on standing against the Obama Administration’s attempt to tighten gun control laws. But maybe, if republicans had not fought the Obama Administration on their gun control bills, we would have been able to prevent many of these mass shootings from happening especially the Virginia Congressional Shooting the left Scalise in the hospital undergoing his third surgery.
Follow Us on Instagram and Twitter: @sevyn_knights_ and @gripmagazine
