The defining American ethos of self-defense by bearing arms originates in the early days of the republic. Back then, personal safety was part and parcel of the American idea of building a new nation and conquering the western frontier. Bearing arms was seen as the means of survival in an uncertain era, resulting in this liberty being enshrined in the Second Amendment's "the right to bear arms."ย
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Nowadays, the American superpower should be able to provide personal security to all of its citizens. Still, the original ethos lives on and has become an indistinguishable part of the collective psyche, particularly among those who identify themselves as Republicans. To a large extent, this development is the work of the National Rifle Association, being the influential lobby that it is.ย
Although laws require that prospective gun owners undergo background checks when they buy a gun to determine whether they have any mental health issues or a criminal record, this can easily be circumvented through various gun shows or through online sales, with catastrophic effects.ย
The Uvalde massacre was only the latest in a spate of mass shootings.ย The ideological and social divide, as well as the availability of arms, only add fuel to the fire by letting disturbed people go on killing rampages, including against Jews.ย
But will the shock in the aftermath of the Texas tragedy result in enough public pressure to pass legislation or even impact the midterm elections?ย
If history is any judge, the prospects of things changing are very slim. But there is a chance that what unfolded this week in Uvalde could affect voters come November, especially among women in suburbs who sided with Democrats in 2020 in part because of gun control. Will this issue determine who controls Congress? We will find out in five months.
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