Across the nation, Republicans have helped institute total abortion bans in states, all in the name of the sacrality of human life. As Republican Congressman Jim Jordan stated against abortion, “You don’t have freedom, true liberty, unless the government protects your fundamental right, your right to live.” However, what happens when the children come out of the womb? Then, it appears they are anything but pro-life. Republicans are forcing children into a world in which firearms are the leading cause of child and adolescent death, thanks to their own beliefs and policies.
April 10th marked the 146th mass shooting in the United States in 2023 as a man shot and killed five people in Louisville, Kentucky. Just two weeks before, on March 27th, six people, including three children, died in a shooting at a Tennessee elementary school. This year alone, 71 children (ages 0–11) and 400 teens (ages 12–17) have died from gun violence, with 157 and 976 more injured, respectively. From 2019 to 2021, gun deaths among children and teens increased by 50%. Yet, despite this clear spike in gun-related deaths, Republican lawmakers still believe gun control legislation is “premature.”