Humanism and Responsible Gun Law in Iowa - Part 3
Gun Violence is a Public Health Crisis
Our nation is in crisis. Gun violence is out of control. According to the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence (www.bradyunited.org/key-statistic).
One American is shot every 5 minutes.
One American dies by gunfire every 14 minutes.
323 Americans are shot and 104 die EVERY DAY.
The impact of gun violence in the US is…
#1 cause of death for children (as of 2020).
*New England Journal of Medicine (www.nejm.org/dol/full/10.1056)
Black Americans are disproportionately impacted by gun violence. They experience 10 times the gun homicides. 18 times the gun assault injuries, and nearly 3 times the fatal police shootings of white Americans.
*Everytown (www.everytownresearch.org/issue/gun-violence-black-americans)
Women are 21 times more likely to be murdered with a gun in the US than in any other high-income country.
*Giffords (www.giffords.org/lawcenter/gun-violence-statistics).
The impact of gun violence in Iowa is…
302 people die by guns on average each year (Everytown, www.everystat.org/#Iowa).
80% increase in homicides by gun from 2019 to 2020 (AP news, Gun deaths rising in Iowa).
78% of all gun deaths in Iowa are suicides (Everytown, www.everystat.org/#Iowa).
It follows that if Public Measure # 1 (reckless gun amendment) passes Iowans will be at even more risk.
Only three other states have Amendments in their Constitutions with similar wording, these being Missouri, Alabama, and Louisiana. Missouri is the 5th state in the US for gun deaths. Alabama is the 4th state in the US for gun deaths. Louisiana is the 3rd state in the country for gun deaths. (www.giffords/org/lawcenter/gun-violence-statistics). As Humanists we strongly believe in efficacy-based legislation and it is clear that more gun protections will result in more gun deaths.
Help our communities and children be safe.
Vote No on the Reckless Gun Amendment on November 8.
