A Love for Guns and Money

Every so often in the United States, the issue of killings by civilians, usually males of various ages, equipped with firearms resurges. The latest incident involved a 15-year-old student who, last Friday, opened fire on his classmates while they were having breakfast in the school cafeteria. Two teenagers – one female and one male – died in the attack in Washington state, and three others were severely wounded. Subsequent to the attack, the disturbed teen took his own life.

In the past 20 years, there have been 24 similar tragedies. Each time that this type of incident occurs, the world asks itself how a democratic country such as the U.S. can continue to freely sell firearms, taking into account the high probability that they will fall into the hands of disturbed people, psychopaths and criminals, both in North America and beyond.

Well, as you might imagine, the motivation is money. This is the only way to explain the fact that the dangerous business of guns sales is booming, considering that the main beneficiaries are looking to commit crime rather than to defend themselves. We have the National Rifle Association to thank, an organization whose influence over the realm of Republican power is blatantly obvious.