Written by: Aarov Malhotra
Edited by: Jordan Shaevitz
The issue of gun control is a hot-button topic in American politics. While millions of Americans see their values reflected in certain candidates or pieces of legislation, countless others have been neglected entirely from this debate.
Around 36,000 Americans are killed by guns each year, and 60% of them are suicides. Hispanic and Native American suicide rates are the highest. Black Americans account for 13% of the population but account for around 50% of all homicide victims. Black Americans are 10 times more likely to die by gun homicide than white Americans. Black children and teens are 14 times more likely to die by gun homicide than white children and teens. The homicide victimization rate of Hispanics in America is nearly double that of whites. Gun violence clearly affects disadvantaged groups including Hispanics and African Americans worse than their white counterparts.
The House of Representatives and the Senate are crucial in making laws and restrictions that relate to guns. Even though gun violence affects African Americans and Hispanics more, these groups are extremely unrepresented in our government. Gun legislation is generally centered around the needs and wants of White people. Gun laws passed from many differing opinions share one thing – they hurt Black people and communities of color disproportionately. Gun restrictions end up arresting more African Americans for guns than their white counterparts even though both races own guns at similar rates.
Hispanics make up 9% of the House of Representatives, but 18% of the US population. African Americans represent 13% of the population, but only 3% of the Senate. Nonwhites make up 39-40% of the US population, but 22% of the voting members in Congress. It is apparent that people of color in the general population are not fairly represented in Congress.
Given the amount that gun violence affects people of color and minorities more than white people, it makes sense that 72% of Black people and 75% of Hispanic people believe controlling gun ownership is more important than protecting gun rights, as opposed to 40% of whites.
Gun regulations have the biggest impact on minorities, yet minorities’ opinions and voices are not being heard. People of color and other groups are not being given the space to speak up about what they believe in, especially in this issue.
Works Cited
Bates, Karen Grigsby. “Stand Your Ground Laws Complicate Matters for Black Gun Owners.” NPR, NPR, 27 Feb. 2017, https://www.npr.org/sections/codeswitch/2017/02/27/517109271/stand-your-ground-laws-complicate-matters-for-black-gun-owners.
Bialik, Kristen. “For the Fifth Time in a Row, the New Congress Is the Most Racially and Ethnically Diverse Ever.” Pew Research Center, Pew Research Center, 18 Aug. 2020, https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2019/02/08/for-the-fifth-time-in-a-row-the-new-congress-is-the-most-racially-and-ethnically-diverse-ever/.
“Ethnic Diversity in the Senate.” U.S. Senate: Ethnic Diversity in the Senate, 20 Jan. 2021, https://www.senate.gov/senators/EthnicDiversityintheSenate.htm.
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