Okay bestie, let’s talk about America and its literal situationship with guns. Like, you know how every country has its quirks? France has baguettes, Italy has pizza, Japan has Hello Kitty… and the U.S.? Yeah, it’s giving active shooter drills.
So, let’s dive into this hot topic: what even are the stats, babes?
The Cold, Hard (And Totally Scary) Stats. So, girl, according to the Small Arms Survey, the U.S. has about 120 guns per 100 people. That’s not a typo. There are literally more guns than humans in America. The second place? Serbia, with around 39 guns per 100 people. Um, that’s a huge gap. It’s like America looked at other countries and said, “hold my AR-15.”
And mass shootings? Don’t even get me started. The U.S. has more mass shootings than days in a year. In 2023 alone, there were 656 mass shootings, according to the Gun Violence Archive. That’s almost two per day, girl. Compare that to countries like Canada, the UK, Japan, or Australia where a mass shooting is, like, a once-a-decade headline, and you’re like… huh???
Let’s do a side-by-side comparison that’s honestly more dramatic than a reality TV breakup:
- USA: About 12.2 gun-related deaths per 100,000 people (CDC, 2022).
- Canada: 2.1 per 100,000 (StatsCan).
- Australia: 1.0 per 100,000 (ABS).
- Germany: 0.9.
- UK: 0.2. Like, seriously, even tea is more dangerous in the UK.
So yeah, the U.S. is totally the main character when it comes to gun deaths. And like, not in a good way.
So… Why Is America So Trigger-Happy? Here’s where it gets complicated and like, kinda philosophical? But I’ll break it down in cute bullet points because duh:
- Second Amendment Culture Vibes: Americans loooove their Constitution. Like, some people treat the Second Amendment like it’s a Taylor Swift lyric.
- Gun Lobbying Is, Like, Major: The NRA (National Rifle Association) is one of the most powerful lobbies. They spend millions blocking gun control laws. It’s giving “money talks,” bestie.
- Fear-Based Marketing: Companies literally market guns as protection. But girl, research shows that more guns = more danger, not less. It’s like trying to fight fire with, um… another fire.
- Lack of Federal Laws: Unlike most countries, the U.S. has no national gun registry, and federal background check laws are basically full of loopholes. Meanwhile, Australia was like, “one mass shooting? Nope,” and banned assault weapons in the ’90s.
- Cultural Obsession With Violence: From Hollywood to video games to politicians flexing with AR-15 pins on their lapels, America kinda glamorizes guns. It’s giving Wild West!
And the impact? It’s Not Cute. Gun violence is now the #1 cause of death for children and teens in the U.S. (CDC, again). Like, let that sink in. Not car crashes. Not drugs. Guns. Meanwhile, kids in Norway are worrying about, like, their next skiing trip.
Schools do active shooter drills instead of, like, dodgeball. Moms have bulletproof backpacks on their Amazon wishlists. And don’t even get me started on how mass shootings have become so normalized that people scroll past headlines like it’s just another Tuesday.
So, What Now? Some states like California and New York are trying to regulate, but until there’s, like, real federal change? It’s giving permanent chaos. People are pushing for universal background checks, assault weapon bans, and red flag laws, but Congress is still, like, “maybe later?”
Final Vibe Check: America’s obsession with guns isn’t just about crime—it’s about culture, politics, identity, and hella powerful lobby groups. While other countries saw gun violence and said “bye,” the U.S. kind of leaned in with a “y’all ready for this?”
So yeah, bestie. If you’re wondering why Americans are so into guns? It’s not just laws. It’s a whole aesthetic. But like… maybe it’s time for a rebrand?
XOXO,
Valley Girl News
