Two of these bloody Christmas events involved four or more victims--and are therefore classified as mass shootings. That made Christmas slightly unusual. On the average, there was roughly one mass shooting a day in 2015.
Exactly none of these incidents was classified as an act of terrorism, perpetrated or inspired by foreigners.
As the Washington Post points out, the number of people killed by guns in the U.S. on Christmas is about equal to the number killed by guns in England, or even in the vastness of Australia, in an entire year. It is equal to the annual deaths by gun in "Austria, New Zealand, Norway, Slovenia, Estonia, Bermuda, Hong Kong and Iceland, combined."
Some of the victims of Christmas gun violence were children. On Wednesday, Arne Duncan gave a speech marking the end of his seven year tenure as Secretary of Education in the Obama administration. Though he had accomplishments to describe, his speech was characterized as angry and sorrowful.
Because children of America are at such risk of being killed or wounded by guns. Because Congress refuses to enact the most basic gun safety laws. Children can't learn if they're dead, or if students live in fear of gun violence, as so many do."A majority of young men of color don’t think they're going to live past 23," he said. "What does that compel us to do?"
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