Thus far this year, Chicago has outpaced both New York and Los Angeles in the break out category of jacked up shooting victims.
To understand just how out of whack the gun violence in Chicago is, first we have to take stock of the populations of these three major metropolitan areas:
- Population of New York City: 8.8 million
- Population of Los Angeles: 4.02 million
- Population of Chicago: 2.72 million
So, Chicago has about 1/4th the population of New York City and 2/3rds the population of Los Angeles. Given the disparity, the truly startling comparison in numbers of gun violence victims leaps out:
- Chicago has racked up 1900 shooting victims
- New York City less than 1000
- Los Angeles less than 1000
If Chicago keeps up the "good" work, by year's end it will have seen nearly 4000 shooting victims, including over 500 killed by gun violence. Think of it: 4000 shot in a population of 2.72 million.
This statistic means that, if you live in Chicago, you're chances of being shot this year are BETTER than your chances of winning the Powerball!
Obvious progressive solutions to gun violence are already in place in Chicago. Illinois has closely regulated the ability to buy and sell, possess, carry, and use firearms. Chicago adds to the onerous restrictions and has, widely agreed, the most restrictive regime of gun laws in the Nation.
And the most severe gun crime problem.
We could blame the naughty bullets. Environmentalists are good on that approach. Naughty lead, polluting ground waters.
We could blame the powder. Again, environmentalists dislike the cordite smell and smoke of a discharge of a firearm.
We could blame the naughty guns themselves. Worst offenders? "Assault weapons," of course, so named NOT because they are more powerful, more deadly, more accurate firearms. Instead, as with any sensible Democrat Party policy, "assault weapons" are that category of guns that "look dangerous." Naughty naughty assault weapons.
Perhaps it's the fault of the silhouette target industry. After all, it must be the desensitizing effect of repeated practice firing, on targets that, all too often, bear a striking resemblance to a BLACK man. Naughty silhouette target manufacturers.
One thing we must never, ever, do, is to fall victim to the pernicious doctrine of personal responsibility, so often touted by troglodyte fans of a policy throwback to the 18th century: the Second Amendment. No. Gun violence cannot be the fault of those who use guns as part of their trade in crime. Too many questions might arise about who the criminals are, where the criminals are, and why the criminals are.
Those uncomfortable questions and their equally uncomfortable answers are mere distractions to the important task of blaming anything and everything except the right thing: bad people.
