This episode of This Is America examines how yet another mass shooting – this time at the Islamic Center of San Diego – exposes the deep, unresolved crisis of gun violence in the United States. While overall firearm homicides have inched down, targeted attacks on schools, houses of worship and community hubs remain a persistent threat, often investigated as hate crimes and leaving vulnerable communities on edge. We look at how federal gridlock in Congress has pushed gun policy battles to state legislatures, where Democratic-led governments pursue tighter regulations while Republican-led states expand protections for gun owners. Beyond the numbers – 44,447 firearm deaths in 2024, roughly one every 12 minutes – we explore the cultural and ideological divide: a gun as symbol of frontier self‑reliance and resistance to government for some, versus an outdated tradition that undermines public safety for others. From Washington, Richard Gaisford speaks with Michael Fox of the Cato Institute and Jonathan Lowy of Global Action on Gun Violence about whether America can reconcile liberty and safety in its gun laws.