Violent Extremism in California

Background Information
Gun violence remains a pervasive challenge in the United States and policies on gun control is at the forefront of US politics. It’s an epidemic that distinguishes the US from the rest of the industrialized countries. However, there exist contrasting policy approaches with some states pushing for reduced regulations of access to ammunition while other states pursuing regulations that decrease the ease of access to ammunition. Moreover, the majority of the laws on firearm regulations are enacted by the state governments with the federal government enacted comparatively lesser regulations. The foundation of addressing the gun violence challenge is understanding the nature of the challenge. Firearm violence can mainly be categorized into three; homicide; suicide and unintentional firearm deaths. An analysis of firearm homicide, the policy brief by Rockefeller Institute of Government reports an average of 5.2 gun homicides per 100,000 in all US states and a high of 12.7 gun homicides per 100,000 (Siegel & Boine, 2019). According to the policy brief, California records a 4.2 gun homicides per 100,000 people. The policy brief notes that even though mass public shooting is the least incidence under the homicide category and accounting to 0.1% of the firearm-related deaths, the increasing prevalence reignited the intense policy attention and public debate on the regulation of firearm. Moreover, the increasing, radicalization, violent extremism and terrorism in the US increases the need for addressing the ease of access to firearms
The latest tragic shooting at San Diego California synagogue on the eve of Passover by a 19-year-old college student that left one person dead and three wounded retaliates the pervasiveness of gun violence. The teenager is also suspected of setting fire a California Islamic mosque as a retaliation to the New Zealand mosque terror attacks. Given that the current law requires a gun purchaser to be at least 21 years, the possession of AR-15-style rifle by the 19-year-old attack indicates illegal possession of firearm. In August 2018 a shooting in a bar in Thousands Oak California left 12 people dead while another attack at Parkland, Florida, high school on Valentine's day 2018 resulted to the death of 17 students and one staff. Other deadly mass shooting recorded in the US includes the 2017 Las Vegas shooting in 2017 that claimed the life of 58 people, 2016 in Orlando, Florida attack in the club that resulted to 49 deaths, 2012 Sandy Hook shooting that claimed lives of 26 people ( 6 instructors and 20 elementary students) among others.
California accounts as one of the states with strict gun policy and stringently enforced laws earning an A in the annual gun law scorecard by the Gifford’s Law Center. It’s the first state in the US to enact a nation to enact a Gun Violence Restraining Order law in 2014 that enabled confiscation of firearm from owners considered as risk to public safety. The state as well passed into law the Safety for All Act of 2016 that mandates a point-of-sale background check for all ammunition purchases. The state limits the number of gun purchase per individual per month, state license for all gun dealers, limits at least 21 years as the minimum age for transfer or sale of guns, enforces a 10-day waiting period before access to a purchased gun and outlaws most assault weapons. Notwithstanding, the Gifford’s Law Center reports 3,184 annual deaths and 5,724 people hospitalized resulting from gun shooting and an equivalent annual cost of $18billion in California (Giffords Law Center, 2019). Moreover, the recent shooting using an assault rifle by a teenager below the minimum age of possession of a gun in California is an illustration that the state needs more concentrated efforts to manage potential gun attacks.
The gunman in Poway tragedy has been identified not having a previous criminal record and demonstrates the surge in religious intolerance hate crime and violent extremism perpetrated through social media. Social media has increasingly been used to spread radical activities such as anti-Semitism, Islamophobia that drives tragic attacks with a religious orientation. The Poway gunman is reported that his actions were inspired by the tragic Easter attack in Sri Lankan churches and March attack in New Zealand’s Islamic attack and the massacre at a Pittsburg synagogue. The trend is known as “copycat phenomenon” here one attack triggers subsequent attacks. A study by Towers, et al. (2015)established that in mass killing occur every fortnight while school shooting occurs every month in the US indicating the prevalence of the “copycat phenomenon”. According to the study, the shooters engaging in mass and school shootings obtain their firearm from home, relatives or states with lax firearm regulations.
Proposed Interventions.
a. Addressing the Motivation
The firearm violence is motivated by racial, political, religious or ideology orientation. While it’s true that the ease of access of guns in the US increases the probability of firearm violence, understanding the reason why the shooters for example target schools, churches or clubs in the first place and are disproportionately white male is core. A significant number of shooters have been identified to have a history of mental health problem, drug abuse and gang violence implying an underlying problem which would be addressed by providing mental health treatment. For example, the Nikolas Cruz’s, the shooter in the Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida shooting, Facebook posting demonstrated his obsession with violence which is linked to depression following his mother’s death. White supremacy and conspiracy theories such as the overtake of white American by immigrants are some of the underlying motives for recent firearm violence including the Poway tragedy. Other contemporary issues as colonialism, capitalism, animal rights, environmental degradation, anarchism are among others are some of the conspiracy theories that are being employed to promote extremism. The downplaying of the firearm violence by the federal government resulting in to conceive and declare firearm violence is an epidemic has constrained resource allocation to combat the epidemic for example through providing more mental health care services. Therefore, addressing the challenge would be addressed through fiscal allocation.
Radicalization of the Internet
With the advent of the internet and 24-hour cable news cycle, mass new media is a central role in positively influencing the fight against gun violence, radicalization, and violent extremism. The technological revolution has resulted in more than half of the world’s population accessing the internet and increased proliferation of social media with over 3 billion people actively using social media. The interconnectivity links people from diverse social and geographical divides. While the increasing interconnectivity is good for business, it’s been faulted for perpetrating rising violent extremism through radicalization. As the interconnectivity increases, violent extremist groups have managed to expand their projects exponentially with attacks increasing across the globe. Young Americans are now being radicalized through their phones and laptops resulting in a pool of wolves who singlehandedly engage in mass violence. The violent extremist groups are now mobilizing recruits online globally such as the 2015 South Carolina church attack that left 9 people murdered which was orchestrated through online recruitment. Website such as the 8chan provides platforms for insisting people to engage in acts of terrorism. A recent manifestation of violent extremism is the Pittsburgh synagogue mass shooting in 2018. Countering internet radicalization that results in firearm violence requires the use of the same tool used for promoting radicalization; social media. Engaging the tech companies that provide social media networks and internet connectivity could significantly address violent extremism. The tech companies extensively integrate artificial intelligence that enables effective flagging off violent extremism content. As well as financially supporting projects by civil society such as the NGO oriented Preventing Violent Extremism (PVE) project is another strategy of engaging in preventing radicalization that fuels violent crimes.
Mainstream Media Sensationalism
Mainstream media is an influencer of public understanding and attitude towards violence. Media sensationalism that is constructed to selectively report incidences with limited censorship has been faulted for creating moral panic in times of attacks. Irresponsible reporting has been identified to glamorizing violence by over publicizing the crimes. Extremist violence thrives on publicity as terrorism relies on brainwashing people due to ignorance. As the media capitalizes on the natural curiosity for details following a tragedy, they disseminate information that satisfies the desire of the mass violence perpetrators while on the other hand remains disrespectful to the victims of an attack. It’s not uncommon to find the mainstream media providing unwarranted attention to mass firearm violence. Engaging the mainstream media and engendering the significance of moral obligation in reporting and retreat from sensational extremist news is imperative.
Communities are shaped by the actions, attitudes, and behaviors of policymakers and communities. They, therefore, form the fundamental group in addressing the gun violence that remains a menace in the US. Addressing the challenge entails a mix of multifaceted strategies that simultaneously address access to the firearm as well as containing the motivation for violence. Undeniably, firearm violence, violent extremism, and radicalization are challenges that require a multidimensional approach to keep California state and the US at large at peace.

References
Giffords Law Center. (2019). California. Retrieved April 30, 2019, from Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence website: https://lawcenter.giffords.org/gun-laws/state-law/california/
Siegel, M., & Boine, C. (2019). What Are The Most Effective Policies In Reducing Gun Homicides? 44.
Towers, S., Gomez-Lievano, A., Khan, M., Mubayi, A., & Castillo-Chavez, C. (2015). Contagion in Mass Killings and School Shootings. PLOS ONE, 10(7), e0117259. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0117259