Why Are Americans Obsessed with Guns and Willing to Pay a High Price for Them?

• Firearms are the leading mechanism for suicide deaths.

• The nation has become desensitized to gun violence and mass shootings.

• Two plus years of the Covid-19 pandemic have contributed to mental health.

• The United States has problems and a proclivity for violence, especially among teens and young adults.

In his latest work, Dr. Basheer Ahmed, a noted psychiatrist, scholar, and community leader, presents an exhaustive examination of gun violence in the United States, providing historical and statistical evidence on the scope, frequency, and impact of mass shootings and gun violence on individuals, families, communities, and the country. But Dr. Ahmed is more than a social scientist examining a tragic phenomenon, he is a counselor to trauma victims and a passionate advocate for gun safety. Citing a wealth of facts as well as the power of political lobbyists, Dr. Ahmed builds the argument that such powerful, unilateral support for the gun culture contributes to the devastating impact of violence in America. Focusing on where proactive change can and should take place, Dr. Ahmed advocates for expanded public education efforts to "counter the epidemic" of gun ownership and resultant violence in the United States. He concludes with the hope that "people in power will show the strength of spirituality, knowing the responsibility they have to do everything in their power to save humanity." Mark H. Masse, Professor Emeritus, Literary Journalism, Ball State University