No matter what occupies the headlines on a given day, issues like gun violence remain simmering behind the scenes across the United States. This week in Chicago, a campaign volunteer going door-to-door on behalf of a city council candidate was shot in the leg while they were streaming themselves live on Facebook. The victim — Maxwell Omowale Justice — was able to recover from his wounds through means including a brief stint in a local hospital.
Posted by Maxwell Omowale Justice Little on Sunday, December 9, 2018
The incident unfolded while he was out with a group that included the candidate he was supporting himself, Joseph Williams.
In a Facebook post, the victim shared:
‘Blessed and thankful to be in the land of the living. Be safe and watchful; the enemy is busy.’
As of Monday afternoon, no arrests in the incident have been made, but witnesses report that Justice was shot by a man in a red ski mask, which could point to premeditation.
Williams’ campaign manager Erin Ellenbolt told the Chicago Tribune:
‘It’s what we’re fighting for, it’s the violence in Englewood and the violence in the 15th Ward that we’re trying to combat. It’s made it personal for Joseph, I know that. He and Maxwell are incredibly close friends.’
The incumbent candidate who Williams is challenging put out his own statement of support, commenting of the “completely unacceptable and unfortunate” situation:
‘This is the same type of mindless gun violence we have seen in other neighborhoods. It must be confronted and addressed directly and without excuses.’
Ironically enough, as the nation in general and Chicago in particular continue to grapple with gun violence, President Donald Trump has zeroed in on the city in past rants about gun violence that gloss over nuances of the situation and dehumanize those involved with threats to “send in the feds.” Outgoing Republican Governor Bruce Rauner has previously refused to dispatch the National Guard to the city — such assignments are left up to the states.
Meanwhile, while Trump dreams up police state solutions to issues Republicans refuse to address in a democratic legislative fashion, Americans keep suffering.
Before the midterm elections, a man out canvassing in Detroit was shot and killed and he’s among thousands and thousands of others to have met the same fate.
As of late Monday afternoon, 13,669 Americans have died from gun violence incidents not including suicides, according to the Gun Violence Archive. 26,471 have been wounded in incidents that include 329 mass shootings — one for nearly every day so far this year.
The incidents include high profile atrocities like the February attack on Florida’s Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School and the more recent attack in Thousand Oaks, California, and they include many, many more incidents that have never hit the national news circuit.
As the casualties continue to mount, sensible gun control remains one of the items that Democrats are empowered to tackle the more of the federal government they gain control of. For the next two years, that control centers on the U.S. House but could extend beyond that sooner than later.
Featured Image via Screenshot from the Video
