I find that impoverishment can have an impact on violence. The reasons are many, but, a focus on what is occurring in states that basically have high poverty rates and high gun deaths need to be known. Three of the top gun death states include Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. They also have very high poverty rates. Mississippi has the highest poverty rate in the country with 19.78 percent.
is defined as not having enough income to meet basic needs. This goes beyond just not having enough money for a new vehicle, smartphone, or to take a vacation. Instead, people who live in poverty struggle to keep a roof over their heads, put food on the table, or even purchase basic items like clothing, shoes, and hygiene items....
That does not mean the gun lobby has no fault in the level of mass shootings in the country, they do. What accompanies these shootings are very loose gun laws in the same states that are impoverished. The masculine culture in these states also propagate violence. The less a man can state he is the bread winner the more likely men are to emphasize strength as a characteristic of their masculinity.
Gun culture is huge when it comes to the male identity in right wing politics. One might note that the states with the least gun deaths also are wealthier and enforce gun controls of one kind or another. I strongly believe how masculinity is defined state to state makes a difference in gun violence. The statistics prove it out. Gun control statutes work as do male cultures that are somewhat removed from the gun culture that prides itself on being strong and powerful. The gun culture in the USA is more than the number of guns sold, it is about how the owners of those guns THINK ABOUT THEIR REAL WORLD USE. It ain't just hunting anymore.
I also want to point out that population density has a reverse pressure on stress. It would seem the more people in a state, the less gun violence. That might be because of the pressure on legislators to protect populated areas from weapons that penetrate walls.
I might point out that Wyoming has the lowest population density, but, is considered among the top five in gun deaths.
The masculine culture of poverty is very different than the masculine culture of the middle class or wealthy. I think that has a great deal to do with the permission men have to kill.
Mass murders are committed by young men, not women.
There is a lot wrong within the gun culture and how American men identify with killing.
