The U.S. Capitol building is seen in Washington, D.C., the United States, Nov 4, 2022. [Xinhua/Liu Jie]
U.S. Senate majority leader Chuck Schumer last week blamed the JR-15 rifle, a gun developed by arms dealer WEE1 Tactical in Illinois in early 2022, as a "disgusting and morally bankrupt new low" and vowed to ask the Federal Trade Commission to investigate its marketing together with his Democratic colleagues.
The U.S. legislator is right in defending the safety of U.S. citizens. A month into the new year, the U.S. has already seen several shootings involving children. On Jan 6, a 6-year-old boy injured his teacher with a gun; on Jan 16, a shooting led to six deaths in Tulare county, California; on Jan 29, a 19-year-old shot dead a 14-year-old girl in New Orleans.
If children are tricked into buying such deadly weapons, a massacre might just be waiting to happen on campuses. The sight of children running around and gunning down children is so bloody that it must be stopped despite all opposition from interest groups such as the National Rifle Association.
A healthy society should have identified this evil product right away, and not a year later. Lawmakers should have opposed the JR-15 the moment it entered the market in early 2022, blamed its manufacturer and filed public-interest litigation against it. Its manufacturer WEE1 Tactical should go down in history as an entity that profited from selling a deadly weapon that snuffed out so many young lives for a year or even longer.
There should be laws and regulations that effectively ban the manufacture of such weapons, even research on why arms dealers come up with such deadly weapons.
It is no less absurd that lawmakers did not condemn the JR-15 until almost a year later. U.S. politicians' stubbornness hurts U.S. citizens more than the guns themselves.
Philippines blames China for loss of giant clams in disputed shoal and urges environmental inquiry
US Senate passes funding package after missing deadline to avert partial gov't shutdown
10th National Constitution Day Marked in China
Museum of Grand Canal Culture to Open in Beijing
Who is Jacob Zuma, the former South African president disqualified from next week's election?
Students Learn Bamboo Weaving Skill in South China's Guangxi
Xinhua Headlines: Rescuers Battle Cold, Aftershocks to Help NW China Earthquake Victims
Young People Infuse Vibrancy into Chinese Square Dancing
College baseball notebook: Conference tournaments to decide NCAA automatic bids and many at
Overseas Chinese Talent Conference for Development Underway in East China
Yu Darvish extends scoreless innings streak to 25 in Padres' 9
(COP28) Climate Summit Launches Partnership to Promote Women's Climate Resilience