[Rex Huppke] Senate disgracefully fails us on gun control

 On Monday, eight days after 49 people were gunned down in an Orlando nightclub by a terrorist claiming allegiance to the Islamic State group, the U.S. Senate voted down four different gun control proposals, two from each party.

Democrats saw the Republican proposals as too weak. Republicans saw the Democratic proposals as too tough.

So nothing happened. There was no agreement on a way to keep people who are on the country’s terrorist watch list from buying guns capable of slaughtering dozens in minutes. There was no agreement to close “the gun show loophole” by requiring a background check on anyone buying a gun.

Nothing. Our lawmakers, many receiving generous campaign contributions from the National Rifle Association, did nothing.

I took data complied by Mother Jones on mass shootings in America and fit this most recent development into an unmistakable historical trend.

See for yourself.

Dec. 14, 2012: Newtown school shooting. 28 killed, two wounded. Nothing happened.

April 21, 2013: Apartment shooting in Washington state. Five killed. Nothing happened.

June 7, 2013: Santa Monica rampage. Six killed, three wounded. Nothing happened.

July 26, 2013: Apartment shooting in Florida. Seven killed. Nothing happened.

Sept. 16, 2013: Washington Navy Yard shooting. Twelve killed. Eight wounded. Nothing happened.

Feb. 20, 2014: Tribal shooting in California. Four killed, two wounded. Nothing happened.

April 3, 2014: Fort Hood shooting. Three killed, 12 wounded. Nothing happened.

May 23, 2014: Isla Vista, California, shooting spree. Six killed, 13 wounded. Nothing happened.

Oct. 24, 2014: Marysville-Pilchuck High School shooting in Washington state. Five killed, one wounded. Nothing happened.

June 11, 2015: Trestle Trail bridge shooting in Wisconsin. Three killed, one wounded. Nothing happened.

June 17, 2015: Charleston church shooting. Nine killed, one wounded. Nothing happened.

July 16, 2015: Chattanooga military recruitment center. Five killed, two wounded. Nothing happened.

Oct. 1, 2015: Umpqua Community College shooting in Oregon. Nine killed, nine wounded. Nothing happened.

Oct. 31, 2015: Colorado Springs shooting spree. Three killed. Nothing happened.

Nov 27, 2015: Colorado Planned Parenthood shooting. Three killed, 9 wounded. Nothing happened.

Dec. 2, 2015: San Bernardino mass shooting. Fourteen killed, 21 wounded. Nothing happened.

Feb. 20, 2016: Kalamazoo shooting spree. Six killed, two wounded. Nothing happened.

Feb. 25, 2016: Excel Industries shooting in Kansas. Three killed, 14 wounded. Nothing happened.

June 12, 2016: Orlando nightclub massacre. Forty-nine killed, 53 injured. Nothing happened.

The killers in these cases were of different races and religions. All but two were men. Most had guns that were legally obtained.

Less than four years, 19 mass shootings, 185 killed, 155 wounded. Nothing happened.

And the only thing we know will happen now, sadly, disgracefully and certainly, is more of the same.

Rex Huppke wrote this for the Chicago Tribune. — Ed.  

(Tribune Content Agency)