Follow the money to see why Republicans cut common sense gun safety laws as more Americans die in shootings.
Ohio's Republican governor approves concealed guns without a permit. Mass shooting with 28 victims including 6 children in Arkansas where Republican Governor had received NRA donations and nullified gun restrictions.
This map was designed with ArcGIS Online using shooting data from the Gun Violence Archive. It shows two thousand gun deaths and casualties in the first twenty days of March 2022 and the elected officials for that state.
Republican gun policy background
- "Ohio Gov. Signs Law Allowing People To Carry Concealed Guns Without A Permit. Nearly two dozen states have concealed-carry laws allowing people to have concealed weapons in public without a permit." - HuffPost
- "Arkansas governor to sign bill nullifying gun restrictions. Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson says he’ll sign a bill that would bar state and local law officers from helping enforce new and future federal gun restrictions." - ABC News
- "Mass shooting at Arkansas car show leaves 24 injured, 1 dead. 'Multiple gunman just started shooting,' police chief says." - LawOfficer.com
- "Easiness of Legal Access to Concealed Firearm Permits and Homicide Rates in the United States" - American Public Health Association
Maps for Storytelling
Maps convey a lot of information in an easy to understand and share form - especially when packaged as a web app:
- This map has details on 2,000 shooting incidents as well as all U.S. Senators and how to contact them
- The shooting incidents are shown in a chronological order for the time period March 1-20
- A 'Splash Screen' provides an overview before the map can be accessed
- Users can click on any incident for details or play the map by time sequence
- Map bookmarks direct the user to a specific state/Senator
- The map adjusts automatically to display well on a phone, tablet or laptop
- The map can be shared as a link or embedded in a website
Concealed gun laws
"States with weaker concealed carry laws are associated with significantly higher rates of handgun homicide, according to a study published in the American Journal of Public Health on Thursday. The findings are the latest volley in the decades-old debate over whether arming citizens makes the public safer or increases violent crime, and they come while the National Rifle Association is pushing for legislation that would loosen safety standards on concealed carry all across the country." - HuffPost
Every state allows the carrying of concealed firearms under some circumstances, but the permitting process varies by jurisdiction. In some states, law enforcement can deny a permit if they believe the applicant lacks good character, or doesn’t have a good reason to carry a loaded gun in public. In other states, they are essentially required to issue a permit to anyone who meets certain statutory requirements. A growing number of states don’t require a permit at all."
NRA spokesman Asa Hutchinson
"Asa Hutchinson, the former Republican congressman who will be the face of the National Rifle Association's response to last week's schoolhouse massacre, received more than $30,000 in contributions from the gun lobby during more than a decade of running for state and federal office, data downloaded from Sunlight's Influence Explorer shows." - SunLight Foundation
Mike DeWine, Republican Ohio Governor
"Well, the Fraternal Order of Police of Ohio for one. The Ohio's FOP's president wrote a strong column in opposition that ran in the Columbus Dispatch; and many of its members have spoken out against it. Hamilton County Sheriff Charmaine McGuffey has expressed concern that the new law would not require that, in a traffic stop, a person carrying a concealed weapon to tell the police officer about the weapon unless the officer asked. In January 2021, DeWine signed the controversial "Stand Your Ground" bill, which removes the requirement for a person to retreat before shooting someone in self defense. Whaley, Cranley and all the state's big city mayors were enraged over that." - WVXU
"In August 2019, after a horrific night in which a lone gunman killed nine people and wounded 23 others in Dayton's crowded Oregon entertainment district, DeWine went to Dayton and stood side-by-side with Whaley at a vigil in a park near Oregon District. As he spoke, the crowd began a loud and clear chant, directed at him: Do something! Do something! Two months later, he returned to Dayton and stood by Whaley as he announced his "Strong Ohio" gun reform plan. As soon as the Republican legislators — their campaign funds full of gun lobby money — made it clear they weren’t buying it, DeWine caved; and we ended up with Stand Your Ground and, now, the permit-less concealed carry law."
Gun Violence Archives
Gun Violence Archive (GVA) is a not for profit corporation formed in 2013 to provide free online public access to accurate information about gun-related violence in the United States. GVA will collect and check for accuracy, comprehensive information about gun-related violence in the U.S. and then post and disseminate it online, primarily if not exclusively on this website and summary ledgers at www.facebook.com/gunviolencearchive and on Twitter @gundeaths. It is hoped that this information will inform and assist those engaged in discussions and activities concerning gun violence, including analysis of proposed regulations or legislation relating to gun safety usage. GVA is not, by design an advocacy group. The mission of GVA is to document incidents of gun violence and gun crime nationally to provide independent, verified data to those who need to use it in their research, advocacy or writing.
Everytown For Gun Safety
Everytown for Gun Safety has a plan to end gun violence and urgently needs your help to stop permitless carry from building momentum before more of these laws are enacted. Donate to help them stop dangerous new gun laws and fuel our fight to end gun violence.
TakeAway: Follow the Gun Lobby money to see why Republicans cut common sense gun safety laws while more Americans are injured or killed in gun violence.
Deepak
DemLabs
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