Another mass shooting occurred last weekend at an outdoor mall in Allen, Texas, leaving at least eight victims dead, including children. The killer wore a patch with the acronym for “right wing death squad,” which refers to Augusto Pinochet, a Chilean fascist popular among groups like the Proud Boys. According to investigators, the shooter’s social media profile shows admiration for Hitler and “hate-filled rants against women and Black people.” However, this event is unlikely to spur political change, as mass shootings have become a regular occurrence expected in today’s society.
The reason that America experiences such a high level of gun violence and has trouble doing anything about it is that many politicians share beliefs similar to those of Timothy McVeigh. McVeigh believed that Americans should be able to amass personal arsenals to overthrow the government, a view that many Republicans echo today. Representative Jamie Raskin, a Democrat from Maryland, has pointed out that the Republican Party’s embrace of insurrection and guns goes hand in hand. The ability to launch an armed rebellion must always be held in reserve, and gun regulations are rejected in favor of expanding access to firearms.
After the Nashville school shooting in April, multiple Republicans supported gun access instead of gun control, expelling two young Black Democratic legislators who protested against gun violence regulations at the Tennessee Capitol. In addition, the State Senate enacted a law that protected the gun industry from lawsuits.
