The recent shooting at the Kansas City celebration of winning the Super Bowl highlights a sad reality in American life. It has become impossible to provide effective security for citizens attending large outdoor events.
It shouldn't be, and it can't be blamed on police efforts. They do everything they can to make those events safe. But our government's failure to curb who can buy a gun (and what kind of gun they can buy) has made it impossible.
Years ago, the government passed a background check law on gun purchases, but that tepid law had many holes in it - so many holes that anyone can effectively buy any kind of gun they want without actually having their background checked.
That's not what the American people want. 80% to 90% of the public want a strict background check law (and that is true even of gun owners). An effective law would prevent any dangerous person from purchasing a gun or receiving one as a gift, but the U.S. Congress (mainly Republicans) have blocked all attempts to pass such a law.
They consider the right to own a gun more important than protecting the lives of American citizens - even though a strict background check law would not prevent law-abiding citizens from purchasing or receiving a gun.
They have also refused to outlaw the possession of assault rifles (the most dangerous guns police have to face). A previous outlawing of these guns proved it could be effective in reducing mass shootings and save lives. But they refused to renew that law, and mass shooting have exploded in both number and size.
There are other reasonable and constitutional restrictions that could help with safety and security, but Republicans have refused to consider ANY gun restrictions.
Attend a large outdoor event if you wish, but understand that (thanks to Congress) you could be putting your life in danger because it is impossible for the police to provide adequate security.
