After a horrific tragedy like the Las Vegas massacre, Americans argue about whether it’s the right time to talk about their gun violence problem. The real issue is not when to discuss it, but how. In all the words that have been heard since the shooting, this much is clear: They don’t talk about guns and gun violence the right way.
For example, what can be done to stop mass shootings from happening again. But they can’t eliminate shootings any more than they can end drug use or drunk driving. The proper question is what can be done to lower the number of incidents and reduce the harm from each one.
And then there are the numbers: Las Vegas is a painful illustration of the way they focus too intently on gun deaths. It’s the worst modern U.S. mass shooting because there were 58 deaths, in contrast to the previous high of 49 in the Pulse nightclub massacre in Orlando, Fla. Yet there were so many other victims in Las Vegas.
According to police, 489 people were wounded, most by gunshot. That’s more than eight times the number of fatalities. The wounded will live, but in many cases, their lives will be forever altered by devastating injuries, lengthy recoveries, emotional problems and medical debts.
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