Photo/Illutration A woman pays respects to her granddaughter and other shooting victims at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, on May 26. (The San Antonio Express-News via AP)

The state of a society is reflected in the causes of death of its members.

In Japan, cancer has topped the list since the early 1980s and now accounts for nearly 30 percent of deaths.

This is probably due to a drop in fatalities from other diseases, enabling people to live longer.

The causes of death among young Americans, aged 1 to 19, reveal the state of U.S. society.

According to research by Michigan University, gun-related deaths kept increasing over the years, replacing traffic fatalities as the top cause in 2020.

Those deaths by gunfire include homicides, suicides and accidents. There are simply too many guns within easy reach.

Yet, little progress has been made in gun control.

After a shooting spree at a Florida high school four years ago, teenagers across the nation pleaded with the slogan of “Protect Children, Not Guns.” But their campaign failed to prod Congress into action.

Now, yet another tragedy has destroyed young lives.

On May 24, a gun-toting 18-year-old youth walked into an elementary school in the small Texas town of Uvalde and killed 19 pupils and two teachers, all of whom were reportedly in the same classroom.

The assault weapon used was a semi-automatic rifle. The perpetrator was shot dead on site by a Border Patrol member.

In the immediate aftermath, U.S. President Joe Biden stated, “The idea that an 18-year-old kid can walk into a gun store and buy two assault weapons is just wrong.”

I could not agree more.

But similar assertions have not led to legal revisions, and that’s U.S. politics.

The Democratic Party keeps pushing gun control, but the Republican Party remains reluctant. They are stuck in a hopeless stalemate.

With the passage of time, public opinion becomes desensitized until another tragedy strikes.

How long are Americans going to keep this up?

--The Asahi Shimbun, May 28

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Vox Populi, Vox Dei is a popular daily column that takes up a wide range of topics, including culture, arts and social trends and developments. Written by veteran Asahi Shimbun writers, the column provides useful perspectives on and insights into contemporary Japan and its culture.

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