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Levels of Gun Violence in US Unlike Those of Any Other Country, Period

© Flickr / Joel BombardierRadio Sputnik syndicated radio host Brad Friedman, outraged over the US government's "cowardly" inaction over extremely high levels of gun violence in America, even in the midst of shocking mass shootings like the one in Roanoke, Virginia on Wednesday, asked whether anything will ever be done as such tragedies continues.
Radio Sputnik syndicated radio host Brad Friedman, outraged over the US government's cowardly inaction over extremely high levels of gun violence in America, even in the midst of shocking mass shootings like the one in Roanoke, Virginia on Wednesday, asked whether anything will ever be done as such tragedies continues. - Sputnik International
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Radio Sputnik syndicated radio host Brad Friedman, outraged over the US government's "cowardly" inaction over extremely high levels of gun violence in America, even in the midst of shocking mass shootings like the one in Roanoke, Virginia on Wednesday, asked whether anything will ever be done as such tragedies continues.

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Friedman recalled the words of one of his call in guests from Thursday's show, who pointed out that "even with this shooting happening on camera where everyone could see it…live on camera, we still won't do anything in this country about the out-of-control  gun violence, deaths and injuries."

The journalist emphasized that the lack of action demonstrates the "cowardice of the politicians" who, in his words, "are in the pocket of the NRA."

Citing stats from a Washington Post piece on the issue, Friedman recalled that the US has now had 247 mass shootings (involving the shooting of at least 4 people) in the first 238 days of 2015, with violence taking one life every 16 minutes, 92 a day, or 33,000 a year, effectively turning gun violence into a health issue in America. Friedman asked his listeners to "imagine if we had terrorist attacks that killed 33,000 a year, or even 200 a year, and how the American people would devote resources to doing something about it." 

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Unfortunately, when it comes to guns, nothing seems to be done. "The level of gun violence in this country is nothing like any other developed nations around the world, period."

The journalist quoted the words of Any Parker, father of slain WDBJ reporter Alison Parker, who told CNN that Alison's "life was cut short; she had so much potential, and it's senseless that her life and Adam's life were taken by a crazy person with a gun. I'm for the second amendment, but there has to be a way to force politicians that are cowards and in the pockets of the NRA, to come to grips and make sensible laws so that crazy people can't get guns. It can't be that hard, and yet politicians from the local level to the state level, to the national level sidestep the issue and kick the can down the road. This can't happen anymore."

"How many new towns are we going to have, how many Sandy Hooks, how many Allisons is this going to happen to before we stop it?" the bereaved father asked.

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"We are supposed to be a country and a government of the people, by the people and for the people, and the people in this country would like to see the lowest of low-hanging fruit when it comes to improving our gun safety laws, which is requiring a background check for every gun sold in America," Friedman emphasized. 

The journalist noted that this is not a lot to ask, and would be supported by both Republicans and Democrats, and by NRA members themselves. He said that it was simply "obscene" that Republicans blocked the issue from even being voted on, "after dozens of 6 year olds were killed at Sandy Hook."

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