AT THE END OF THIS ENTRY IS A POLL; WHAT'S YOUR TAKE ON THE ISSUE OF GUN CONTROL?
It's been a while, but I finally have an issue that I think is worth debating. Actually, this issue has been worth debating for several years now; and every time there is a violent crime, this issue is revisited: gun control. The recent shooting in Arizona of State Representative Gabby Giffords is the most recent catalyst for this discussion. First, I will freely admit that I am not against guns. Neither am I a gun advocate. I am for the responsible use of firearms. As Americans, we have a right to own and carry guns, and far be it from me to go against that right.
As I said, owning and using guns is an American right. The Second Amendment in our Constitution tells us that we can own and carry guns. Not to sound like a flag-touting Conservative, but quite frankly, anyone who says that we shouldn't be allowed to own/carry guns is going against one of our fundamental rights as Americans. It would be the same as saying that we shouldn't have freedom of speech because some people get offended. So as far as gun wielding as a right, I couldn't agree more.
Protection is perhaps the most popular reason for owning a gun, especially if you live in a location with a high crime rate. According to www.justfacts.com/guncontrol.asp, "there are roughly 300 million firearms owned by civilians in the United States as of 2010. Of these, about 100 million are handguns." Crime and self-defense go hand in hand, and the numbers speak more clearly than I ever could.
"Roughly 16,272 murders were committed in the United States during 2008. Of these, about 10,886 or 67% were committed with firearms."
"A 1982 survey of male felons in 11 state prisons dispersed across the U.S. found:
• 34% had been "scared off, shot at, wounded, or captured by an armed victim"
• 40% had decided not to commit a crime because they "knew or believed that the
victim was carrying a gun"
• 69% personally knew other criminals who had been "scared off, shot at,
wounded, or captured by an armed victim"
(http://www.justfacts.com/guncontrol.asp)
So yes, a gun can be very useful in scaring off a potential attacker or robber. In fact, according to gunowners.org/fso404.htm, "as many as 200,000 women use a gun every year to defend themselves against sexual abuse." Guns are definitely a crime deterrant, in many cases.
The fact remains, however, that guns are used to kill people. There's no getting around this fact. Many people think that if guns were outlawed, there would be fewer deaths. This might very well be true. But I disagree. If guns are outlawed, besides stepping on our toes and violating a Constitutional right, there would only be the same number of deaths; maybe even more. People wouldn't stop killing others; they'd merely find different ways to kill them. In all likelihood, there would be an increase in the number of fatal stabbings. The one thing that would most likely decrease as a result of a gun ban would be suicides. Approximately 55% of suicides involve a firearm. And suicide attempts are more likely to be successful with a gun as opposed to pills or other methods (gunowners.org/fs404.htm).
Still, I fully subscribe to the adage: "Guns don't kill people. People kill people." Guns don't suddenly decide, "Ooh, I guess I'll go out and shoot a few people today!" Instead, it is the person holding that gun who decides to pull the trigger and hurt or kill someone. I don't profess to have a plan as to how to delicately reduce the number of violent deaths and mass shootings like those in Arizona, Columbine, and Virginia Tech. But the issue at stake is not how to eliminate guns. It's more about how to keep guns out of the hands of the wrong people.
There's not much we can do about illegal guns that isn't already being done. There will always be a population that goes against the laws, and the best we can do is create deterrents and warnings. But for those who are willing to legally purchase a gun, I propose the following:
1) A mandatory psychological evaluation. People who have a history of depression or other mental illness/instability should not be allowed to have guns, for their own safety and the safety of those around them. Prior suicide attempts or suicidal thought would also prevent them from purchasing a gun.
2) A complete background check. If they have any type of felony/criminal record - especially violent crimes - they cannot be trusted with a gun. I would also suggest going one step farther and investigating their public writings. All too often, in the aftermath of mass shootings or violent incidents, the culprit's writing are discovered, and usually reveal warning signs of violence.
3) Mandatory ethics/responsible gun use classes. This would be similar to driver's education classes. Basically, anyone wishing to purchase a gun would have to attend a series (maybe 3-4 classes) on responsible gun use. An important topic to cover would be how best to keep a gun in the house when there are children around.
Yes, guns can be deadly. But if the people using the guns use them responsibly and only in self-defense, there is no need to eliminate their use.
RSS Feed
