The latest mass shooting here in Michigan (at least, the latest one that made the news) took place at a splash pad in Rochester Hills last Saturday. Nine people were injured, including two children. The shooter was later found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Michigan recently has made some progress in passing legislation and implementing programs designed to reduce gun violence. They represent positive, sensible efforts toward treating the disease. Certainly not a cure-all for what has been a uniquely intractable problem for us Americans, but at least attempting to mitigate unnecessary deaths and injuries.
However, a few days later the U.S. Supreme Court managed to again demonstrate just how intractable the problem is with a tortured, hair-splitting ruling on what exactly a machine gun is, which overturned a ban on bump stocks.
Look, the grim reaper and gun violence are in lockstep on this. They aren't going to break up on their own. That's our responsibility — with "our" very much including elected and appointed officials.
Editor's note: John Auchter is a freelance political cartoonist. His views are his own and do not necessarily reflect those of Michigan Public, its management, or its license holder, the University of Michigan.
