[Viewpoint] Can You Not Hear the Screams of Mass Shooting Victims?

On the 24th of last month, an 18-year-old boy opened fire at Rob Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, killing 19 students and 2 teachers. This incident has reignited calls for gun control in the United States, but as someone well-versed in Washington politics, I have no confidence that Congress will take action. The Joe Biden administration advocates for gun regulation, but the chances of passing such measures in the Senate appear very slim. I gave up hope a long time ago.

The Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Newtown, Connecticut, 10 years ago, which claimed the lives of 20 children and 6 adults; the school massacre in Parkland, Florida, 4 years ago, where 17 people were killed; and the Santa Fe High School shooting in Houston, Texas, where 10 people died?despite these tragedies, the U.S. Congress has failed to achieve any meaningful gun control legislation.

Even while hearing the cries of the bereaved families, the Republican Party argues that gun control laws violate constitutional rights, citing the Second Amendment, which guarantees the right to bear arms. This issue is expected to become a key election topic favorable to them in the upcoming November midterm elections.

Just three days after the Rob Elementary School incident, the National Rifle Association (NRA) held its annual conference in Houston, about 250 miles from the scene of the shooting. The NRA, which opposes gun control, is an organization that even Washington politicians dare not confront. Conservative politicians seek their support. Former President Donald Trump attended and spoke at the event, and influential Senator Ted Cruz also appeared. The NRA strongly criticized Republican lawmakers who did not attend. Citizens’ demands to cancel or downscale the conference to honor the victims fell on deaf ears.

The conference attributed the cause of the shootings to the collapse of traditional American values. It expressed greater resentment not only toward gun owners but also toward the beliefs held by such people, which it sees as being marginalized. They are convinced these are traditional values that America must protect. They blame the separation of religion from schools, the decreasing number of children raised by two biological parents, the resulting increase in mentally ill individuals in schools, and excessive leniency toward criminals for the frequent shootings. One NRA member said in a media interview, "The biggest problem is the president saying we need to make policies about guns because guns killed people."

The reason discussions on gun control stall is that the debate shifts to an overly broad and fundamental topic. Every attempt to restrict gun rights is framed as an infringement on freedom, a hindrance to the ability to defend oneself, and a transformation of American culture as a whole. Nowadays, this framing is intentional by gun rights advocates. One conference attendee argued, "If the Second Amendment is allowed to function as intended, letting someone defend themselves, many lives can be saved. Arming homeroom teachers would solve the problem."

News footage showed attendees, mostly older and predominantly white compared to Texas’s average demographics, touring the exhibition. They experienced gun performance firsthand, attended seminars, and elected new NRA leadership. The NRA CEO was overwhelmingly re-elected, demonstrating the organization’s strength. The cave-like conference venue displayed an AR-15 rifle, the weapon used to kill 21 people just days earlier.

Kim Dong-seok, President of the Korean American Voters Association