634.8.3.RB - Gun Control: What is the Answer?
Gun control is a debate
that one can hear about almost daily from our new media, politicians, peer
groups, etc. Being a member of the National Rifle Association (NRA), I believe
that it is my fundamental right to own a gun. LaFollette states that a “fundamental
right is a non-derivative right protecting a fundamental interest” (p180) The
debate about whether citizens have a right to bear arms is important and I
believe they should. We have all heard about the special interest that guns are
causing campus or school shootings or young children having access to guns that
could harm someone. What we don’t debate the behavior that causes the harm to
others. Our politicians purposely debate that there should be more gun control. My blog will talk about my opinions about
whether citizens have the right to bear arms, including alternatives to my
opinion. (LaFollette, 2007)
Individual Rights
The second amendment to the United States
Constitution gives individuals the right to bear arms or does it? The amendment
states “A well-regulated militia, being necessary
to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms,
shall not be infringed.” Being a military retiree I have always had the belief
based on my training that I have the right to have a gun to protect myself, my
family and my country. When I as about
ten years old, I remember my father taking me out to learn how to shoot a
shotgun. I was scared of the gun because my father always told us that is was
our right to use a gun to protect or kill for food. (Cornell University Law School,
2017)
With this right being
outlawed in the Bill of Rights it gives us the freedom to bear arms. If we took
away this right what would that mean for the other amendments in constitution.
We have the right to freedom of speech, religion and a speedy trial. If we took
away religion it would cause so much drama in our country considering there is
a lot of religion choices. On the news media this morning, the topic was about
whether freedom of speech is going too far causing individuals to be too bound
to their opinions and not open for alternative thought. I would assume that I
have the right to carry and use a gun based on my rights outlined in our
constitution. I do believe the right to bear arms should include rules of
engagement and not used as a crutch because the amendment is so vague.
Today, most states require
that anyone purchasing a firearm the person must go through a background check
and if the person is a felon or has a history of some type of mental health
behavior they person cannot purchase a gun. In 2013, about 65% of people where
denied a gun carry permit due to individuals failed the background check due to
some type of mental health issue. My perspective is if someone has a mental
health issue that was not report because their personal profile was not flagged
as a person with concern, these people would fall through the cracks.
Background checks do not ensure dangerous people get access to guns which to me
is a conflicting assumption. (Every Town for Gun Safety, 2015)
The next concern is that
individuals think that owning a gun provides access for our children to
experiments and use it to harm another person. I do not believe for one minute
that younger children pick up a gun with the intent to harm another person.
Most of remember the Columbine High School Shooting in 1999 where two high
school students killed 13 of their fellow students and injuring more. The event
prompted large debates about gun control and the safety of students. The public
speculation is that the two were bullied but we will never know because they
took their own life. There is also concern that the two boys were influenced by
video games and the music they chose to listen too. The conflicting assumption
is that these two had mental issues that drove them to take action and remove
those who bullied them in school. The assumption that watching violent video
games drove the actions of these kids, however, it may have given them how to. (History, 2017)
The next debate on gun
control is not solely about gun ownership but the type of guns that are
available to law abiding citizens. If you ever bought a gun or ammo at your
local gun store, there appears to be limitations set on how many guns and packs
of ammo is allowed to purchase. This is one way to track individual buying but
it does not track when individuals’ resale their weapons outside of a dealer.
Activism is on the rise that there should be a universal back ground program
that holds individuals’ accountable for selling a gun, knowing, the other
person has a criminal record. But the laws prohibit the sale of guns to anyone
under the age of 21, however, a person that is 18 can purchase a rifle. I think
the laws need to be more consistent where there is one age like there is in
alcohol sales. But just like drinking, if someone under the age of 21 wants to
drink they can as there are no controls to prevent it. There is an assumption
that if you put an age discriminator will prevent people from getting guns
which is a fallacy in my opinion. I do agree that there are certain weapons
that should be preserved for our military such as the M-60 or 50-Caliber rifle
as we do not need these rifles being used in the hands of citizens in my
neighborhood.
The last debate that I would like to blog about is the idea that
the increased ownership increases the crime rate in the country. In 2013, there
were more than 16,000 people killed in the United States (U.S.) according the the Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention (CDC), but only 11% of those deaths were carried out by a gun.
There were also 21,000 suicides where half of them were used by guns within the
same year. The statistics outline that there is not an increase in crime because
there are more guns being sold. (Perry, 2015)
There is an assumption based on the U.S homicide rate is 25% higher
than other countries because we have too many rules and Chicago crime rate is
an example of how too much gun control prevents allows the right to protect
themselves. Chicago had a handgun ban in 1982 as an approach to prevent
handguns being sold to criminals. In 2016, Chicago had almost 800 murders and people
had to resort to whatever they could to protect themselves. Although legislatures
wanted to go to the extent of serializing the bullets being used, it did not
prevent the crime rate from escalating. Many believe if they had a gun for
protection the rate in this city would not be so high. (Hawkins, 2016)
Conclusion
Being a military veteran and an NRA member, I feel I have
received the proper training and gained the right to carry a gun to protect
myself, family, and peers. There is a very large debate that it is a
fundamental right to have a gun. I agree with that fundamental right that we
have the right to bear arms. There are issues associated with guns being
available to those who will use it to harm others. My issues with the claim
that guns kill people is true, however, it is the behavior behind the intent
that causes guns to kill people. Basically guns don’t kill people, people kill
people. The assumption that our rights
to bear arms increases crime is a fallacy and the real issue is mental health.
Mental health is not reported if someone has never received some time of
treatment as there is no way our Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) can
know that they person has issues. My final stance is that guns are only one
option that people use to kill others and if you are going to remove guns we
need to remove pills to overdoes, knives to kill, ropes to hang or cars, which
can be used for exhaust gas for suicide. The debate on the right to bear arms
only focuses on control of one product and to me is a waste of time and it is
for a larger agenda for politicians. If we are disarmed it also given the
government to remove our ability to fight against tyranny.
References
Cornell University Law School. (2017). Second Amendment.
Retrieved May 10, 2017, from Cornell University Law School:
https://www.law.cornell.edu/constitution/second_amendment
Every Town for Gun Safety. (2015, May 22). New FBI Data Shows
Mental Health Records in Background Check System Tripled Since Release of Fatal
Gaps Report Pressed States to Submit Records of Prohibited Gun Purchasers.
Retrieved May 10, 2017, from Every Town for Gun Safety:
https://everytown.org/press/new-fbi-data-shows-mental-health-records-in-background-check-system-tripled-since-release-of-fatal-gaps-report-pressed-states-to-submit-records-of-prohibited-gun-purchasers/
Hawkins, A. (2016, December 16). Gun-Controlled Chicago
Fast-Approaching 800 Homicides for 2016. Retrieved May 10, 2017, from
Breitbart:
http://www.breitbart.com/2nd-amendment/2016/12/27/gun-controlled-chicago-fast-approaching-800-homicides-2016/
History. (2017). COLUMBINE HIGH SCHOOL SHOOTINGS. Retrieved May
10, 2017, from History:
http://www.history.com/topics/columbine-high-school-shootings
LaFollette, H. (2007). The Practice of Ethics. Malden, MA:
Blackwell Publishing.
NRA. (2013, January 1u). Private Sales Restrictions and Gun
Registration. Retrieved May 10, 2017, from NRA-ILA:
https://www.nraila.org/articles/20130117/private-sales-restrictions-and-gun-registration
Perry, M. J. (2015, December 10). Gun-Homicide Rate Decreased as
Gun Ownership Increased. Retrieved may 10, 2017, from CBS News: http://www.cnsnews.com/commentary/cnsnewscom-staff/more-guns-less-gun-violence-between-1993-and-2013
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