The most recent mass shooting attack in San Bernardino, California yesterday that claimed 14 lives and 17 injured persons is another sad example of the vicious cycle of gun violence. The American Human rights Council (AHRC-USA) joins the nation in condemning the shooting of innocent victims and offers its sincere condolences to the victims families and wishes all the injured a speedy recovery. These senseless crimes should shock our conscience into action.
Mass shootings constitute a true challenge before us as it manages to appear periodically shaking the foundation of our safety and our peace as a nation. This horrific tragedy reminds us all of President Obama’s and others’ call for more effective gun control, laws and policies. The safety of our nation requires bipartisan efforts to address the epidemic of gun violence and its most terrible incarnation of mass shootings. AHRC, in the name of our common humanity, urges American elected officials on the local and national level to rise to the challenge and deal with the root causes of these crimes. The safety and the security of our nation is our common responsibility as a people and a government.
AHRC believes it is too soon to declare a motive for the perpetrators of the mass crime and urges the public and the news media to give law enforcement the time needed to investigate this shooting and declare a motive.
“Another day, another mass shooting, we should not accept this as a given reality,” said Imad Hamad, AHRC Executive Director. “While the US Supreme Court has declared that the Second Amendment protects an individual’s right to own guns, the Court did not say this right is boundless. There is no sense or logic in individuals owning an arsenal of weapons and military grade gear. The right to safety and life of the American public are also constitutional rights. Our policy makers and all stakeholders are called upon to strike a reasonable balance between these rights,” said Hamad.