Sadly, the question is not how many more innocents need to become victims of senseless mass gun violence.

The real question is: When will enough of us relentlessly demand that legislators pass sensible gun laws? Laws that will not only address the growing incidents of mass shootings, but the growing epidemic of gun violence.

Clearly, state and federal lawmakers seem to be unable to muster the collective will and courage to do the ethical, humane and right thing to protect citizens from wanton and rampant gun violence.

We haven’t even completed two months in this new year and there has already been 49 mass shootings. The most recent occurred on Valentine’s Day at a Kansas City Chiefs victory parade.

That shooting highlights another component of the gun crisis in this country: Easy access to semiautomatic and high-powered guns by nearly anyone.

Mass shootings are just one aspect of the gun control crisis that has plagued this country for decades.

As of Feb. 15, more than 5,000 people have died from gun violence, more than 100 people per day. Over 3,000 have been injured.

So far this year, the majority of the gun violence deaths have been death by suicide, which brings up another issue to be addressed: Mental health issues.

Democrats hope to put gun safety measure on ballot following Kansas City mass shooting

They are a small part of the problem, but are being used as a major excuse not to pass sensible gun safety measures. There should be greater efforts in safeguarding and ensuring that guns are not easily accessible by anyone suffering from mental illness.

Another side of the gun safety issue is the easy access and usage of guns by criminals. While that continues to be a major problem in cities across the country, violent crimes — murder, assault, robbery and rape — have been dropping significantly since 2022.

Whether gun violence deaths are caused by mass shootings or criminals — perpetrated because of hate, mental illness or some other reason — the real problem is the easy access to all kinds of guns.

Other civilized countries have managed to pass laws and put measures in place to reduce and prevent the proliferation of gun violence.

For example, after a mass shooting in Australia in 1996 when a gunman used a semiautomatic weapon that killed 35 people and injured two dozen others, the conservative-led national government with the cooperation of states and territories passed sweeping gun safety legislation within two weeks.

Do you hear of mass shooting in Australia?

Australia is not alone. Other countries like the United Kingdom, Japan, Norway, Canada and others do not suffer the rampage of gun violence as we do here in America.

If other countries have found solutions, why can’t the United States?

It is a question every concerned citizen should be asking.

Are we willing to continue to be known as a country with a gun violence epidemic that leads the world in mass shootings and the highest levels of gun violence of any developed country by a wide margin?

After each mass shooting incident, for a moment, there is gnashing of teeth, rallying calls and cries to do something. We saw it after the mass shooting in Kansas City.

There have been calls for the Missouri legislature to do something.

But will any meaningful gun safety measures be passed in Missouri?

The same Kansas City shooting spurred calls for Congress to pass legislation to control gun violence. Will Congress?

Once again, will the pleas fall on deaf ears?

The majority of Americans want stricter gun safety laws and have identified areas they want their legislators to pass legislation and to put in place measures to ensure and monitor implementation.

A vast majority of American support legislation that would require background checks for private and gun show sales; create a national “red flag” law; require a license before a gun purchase; ban the sale of high-capacity magazines; ban the sale of semi-automatic weapons; create a mandatory assault weapon buyback program; increase mental health funding.

No doubt, there are other measures that can be taken.

Citizens want legislators to stop hiding behind the 2^nd Amendment. No one is interested in taking away the right for citizens to legally own a gun. What most Americans are opposed to are semiautomatic and high-powered guns, usually reserved for the theater of war, being readily available and easily accessible to anyone.

Citizens want legislators to stop using criminals and people suffering from mental illness as excuses. Instead, they want steps to be taken to address those areas in addition to stricter gun safety laws.

But are legislators listening to their constituents?

If not, why not?

It is not how many more needless deaths by guns we are willing to tolerate. The most important decision is: What excuses are we willing to continue to accept from state legislatures and Congress?

Will we embark on a sustained effort, individually and collectively, urging our elected officials to finally deal with the gun violence problem in this country? We are telling them what legislation needs to be passed.

If we are continually ignored, will we exercise our greatest power? Vote them out of office and replace them with someone who will act.

The gun violence problem will not be fixed if we do not relentlessly demand it.

This commentary was updated at 6:45 a.m. to correct a typo.