“This is a gun country. It’s crazy”: Philadelphia mayor speaks after July 4 shooting
Two shootings on July 4, a day meant to celebrate America’s freedom and independence, seems all too unsurprising in an increasingly unsafe country.
On Monday, July 4, as Americans celebrated the freedom and independence of their country, they were treated to one mass shooting in the Highland Park area of Chicago, Illinois during a July 4th parade, in which six people died and 12 were injured, plus a shooting in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in which two police officers were killed. This comes just a little over a month after a mass shooting in an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas claimed the lives of 19 children and two adults.
Philadelphia mayor expresses deep frustration about US gun laws
It’s no longer a question (and hasn’t been for a while) of whether or not the United States has a gun problem, but why they are not doing anything in the government to prevent gun violence from happening. The Philadelphia mayor Jim Kenney, was asked by a reporter to talk about his resolve, saying, “people are asking, ‘what’s the mayor doing about this?’”, and his response revealed a visibly frustrated and tired leader.
“If I had the ability to take care of guns, I would,” Kenney told the reporter. “But the legislature won’t let us. The US Congress won’t let us. The governor does the best he can. Our attorney general does the best he can.”
The federal law in the US is what provides the basis for gun regulation, but states and cities can them impose further restrictions. It’s when the higher levels of government take regulatory power from the lower levels that dangerous gaps are formed, with sometimes deadly consequences.
“This is a gun country. It’s crazy,” said Kenney. “We’re the most armed country in world history. And we’re one of the least safest. So until Americans decide that they want to give up the guns, and give up the opportunity to get guns, we’re going to have this problem.”