Featured Blog: Is gun violence a global issue or a U.S. issue?

This week, I decided to choose a topic much closer to home for the U.S.: gun violence. What we know is that it is an ever-debated topic and an issue that seems to be predominantly based in the U.S. But what makes it such an integral issue in the U.S. and nowhere else? What is evident is that its dominance lies in the fact that it is unfairly compared to other countries.The U.S. has been predominately known for debate and issues surrounding gun violence. With the National Rifle Association dominating one side of the debate and the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence on the other, it is evident that it is an issue that is going to be debated for a long time.One of the most significant moments in U.S. gun violence history was the Newtown shootings in December 2012. This definitely forced the debate into the public eye and made it impossible to ignore. With deaths of young people and school shootings happening more often than they should be in a developed state, many have been canvassing the end of gun ownership, whilst others feel that guns could protect young children more.But why is it so predominant in the U.S.? What is evident to other nations across the globe is that the U.S. has been a pioneer for the right to have arms, and they have it so entrenched in its Constitution that it reinforces its dominance in modern society. Moreover, many of the statistics are compared to more developed countries rather than middle income ones like that of Russia or Mexico. If compared to these countries, the U.S would be considered considerably safe. But when compared to other developed states like Norway, the U.S. has been suggested as a dangerous place and, so it is criticised further about its gun laws.But the U.S. isn’t the only country with gun violence issues. South Africa is also suffering from a lot of internal issues due to gun violence. The Oscar Pistorius case also highlighted issues that South Africa is having with firearms. The world was shocked to see a prominent figure in the country who represents his country in the Olympics be involved in a gun murder case, where he shot his girlfriend. We also see that Honduras is clearly a country with serious issues of homicide, with gun violence being a key part of it. It is one of the most dangerous countries with lax gun laws, and 80 percent of homicides are gun related. Coupled with the low conviction rate, it is likely a lot of people will get away with not having a trial.What we have discovered is that the U.S. is still suffering with gun violence issues and is in what seems to be a never-ending debate about what is the right course of action. But even though the U.S. still seems to be the predominant country that is seen in the news today, it is not being fairly compared to others.