California Shootings Renew Debate on Gun Legislation Reform

Headlines returned to gun violence in America this week, as mass shootings in Monterey Park and Half Moon Bay, California left 18 people dead. As the families of the victims mourn, and law enforcement personnel search for motives to the attacks, the gun debate is again returning to opinion sections across the media spectrum.

Articles on the right have mostly refuted calls for gun law reform. An opinion article in the Washington Examiner questioned statements from lawmakers and gun control advocates following the attacks, which included demands for stricter gun legislation and a renewed call from President Biden to ban assault weapons. The article noted that California has stricter-than-average gun laws and pointed out the nondescript classification of ‘assault weapon’ to determine that “the only solutions Democrats and their gun control activist groups support are banning and confiscating more guns.”

Articles from the left have split between focusing on the communities impacted by the shootings, both of which were predominantly Asian, and calls for legislative action to curb gun violence in America. An opinion article in MSNBC lamented the added tragedy of the Monterey shooting taking place during Lunar New Year, “a time of celebration for Asians around the world.” The article called the shootings “a stark reminder of the real consequences of America’s gun crisis.” Citing data showing the U.S. to be a global outlier in gun violence, the article determined positive change to be possible, stating, “we do not have to live like this.”