“Guns don’t kill,people do”, says my dad as talk of gun control rules the media. This statement is absolutely true, guns are merely a tool utilized by mentally unstable individuals who want to cause harm to others. What it fails to take into consideration is that laws are meant to protect the people, and the best way to do so is to take away the tool that can act against us, notably the automatic weapon. I understand that guns can be a hobby and that people have owned guns recreationally for decades without any major incidents. But, with mental illness on the rise, I think it’s time for our government to intervene and enact more strict gun control laws. There is no reason, recreational or otherwise, that an ordinary citizen should or would ever need to own an automatic assault weapon. So why is it that you can go online and purchase a gun with a dozen magazines without so much as a license?
The main arguments against gun control are that the right to bear arms is written in the constitution and that people need firearms to protect themselves. The constitution is an archaic document that doesn’t properly address the problems of modern society so it’s use as justification for modern weaponry is invalid at its inception. If we want to advance as a society we need to address the fact that the blueprint of our government is still predominantly based off words that were written some 200 years ago by a group of slave owning white men. Secondly, I don’t think that the answer to guns and violence is more guns. One of the right wing responses to the increase in gun violence as of late has been to enact laws that enable students to open carry on college campuses. This has negatively impacted the learning environment for students through a loss of quality faculty out of concern related to retaliation by mentally unstable individuals. There is little evidence that open carry actually makes campuses safer. In a study conducted by the CATO institute a couple of years ago, they found only 14 instances of a college student protecting themselves using guns. Many of these instances were against individuals not in possession of a firearm.
I think it’s important to note that gun control does not mean that all guns would be taken away. The root of the problem is that there is a lot of finger pointing amongst the left and right about whose fears are more valid. Is it better to to defend oneself through more violence or to take the weapon off the table entirely? In order to enact any positive change we as a society need to decide what role we want our government to play in keeping us safe, and shift the paradigm from the antiquated ideals of our forefathers.
3 comments:
Sonia Flores discusses "Gun Control" in her blog and I must say that I agree with her views on the controversial issue. She discusses how the 2nd amendment does not pertain to today's society and technology. The 2nd amendment was put in place when it took forever to load a gun. I understand that people want to ensure their safety and I do agree that having a gun in your home to protect yourself from a potential intruder is a valid reason to have one. But, I do not believe that people should be able to just walk around with one, especially on a college campus. Flores discusses how many college students do not feel safe knowing that their campus allows open carry, I am one of those students. All we need is for two college students arguing over something stupid and then one of them pull out their gun and end up shooting the other. I do not believe that getting rid of guns completely is something we should do but I do believe that gun laws should definitely be stricter now considering all of the tragic events that have been happening in recent years. People are getting crazier while guns are getting easier to get ahold of. The Constitution needs a serious update to catch up with the times.
I would have to say that I disagree with both Reanne and Sonia on this topic. Yes, gun violence is a major problem in today's society but it is not because of people who follow the rules and regulations and get their guns legally. The problem is the people who get them illegally. The problem I see with taking guns away from those who are mentally stable and have followed all the rules to be able to carry those guns is that just make it harder to stop those who get the guns illegally. There have been so many cases where someone with a concealed gun license has saved lives. If anything, knowing a couple students around me have concealed handguns license would make me feel safer because I know they did things by the book. They know what they are doing, they have passed the necessary tests and procedures, and one day they could save my life. It isn't the people with concealed carry license that are shooting up schools and robbing gas stations, it's the people who get those guns illegally.
Very well said Sonia Flores. I absolutely agree with how you summed up this issue. I think that your stance is a realistic and great middle ground for those who are strongly for or against gun control. There has to be stronger regulations with as to who and how they are purchasing these weapons, and under no circumstances do I agree that the average citizen should own an atomic assault rifle. I believe that it is important to question the amendments in the constitution rather than just accepting them for what they are. As we discussed at the beginning of the semester, people truly do hold the constitution at the same pedestal as religious text. We are indeed an evolving society and we require such documents to change at the same rate we are.
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