The head of the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives says he fears that a drumbeat of mass shootings and other gun violence across the United States could make Americans numb to the bloodshed, fostering apathy to finding solutions rather than galvanizing communities to act.

Director Steve Dettelbach’s comments to The Associated Press came after he met this past week with family members of some of the 18 people killed in October at a bowling alley and a bar in Lewiston, Maine by a U.S. Army reservist who later took his own life.

He said people must not accept that gun violence is a prevalent part of American life.

      • maynarkh@feddit.nl
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        4 months ago

        The founders of the United States didn’t want a permanent military.

        One could say the US drifted just a tiny tad bit off the original vision then.

      • afraid_of_zombies@lemmy.world
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        4 months ago

        Ok so why is it a right? Seems to me you are describing basically a volunteer fire department and if that is the case clearly 90 years old aren’t going to be part of it. I don’t know any other right that you lose by being too old.

          • afraid_of_zombies@lemmy.world
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            4 months ago

            Cool. Now I am just going to point to the blind. Got some anecdote from history about a blind soldier?

            Also if they aren’t frontline I am a bit confused about why they need a gun. I have done a bit of work on some Navy stuff as a civilian and a rifle wouldn’t have help me much in that task.

            Can you name another right that vanishes based on physical fitness?