Newtown – 21st Century Citizenship

The Truth behind the Trigger

As the months go by, the memories of the young lives lost in Newtown, Connecticut, will forever haunt America. There were multiple school shootings before this one, but since they were such young children being robbed of their lives it hit President Obama hard. While the rest of America was dealing with the aftermath of the shooting, President Obama was working hard to figure out how to stop this shooting from ever happening again. What can be the only solution to stop this traumatic problem? Strict gun control laws. As I read the articles pouring in from almost all news outlets, I couldn’t help but be conflicted. Maybe stricter gun control laws are the way to stop lives from ending too soon before their intended time. But then again maybe these laws are just useless. Two months and a couple of articles later, I have made up my mind. Strict gun controls law will do nothing to stop mass murder.

President Obama proposed background searches as a way to stop certain people from having guns. While this may seem like a good idea to people who have seen the outcome of gun violence, I think that this idea won’t help. Background searches may stop bad guys from buying guns, but what about the good guys? A background search may deem a person sane enough to buy a gun, but what happens when that person actually has it in their hands? We don’t know if that person might have a mental breakdown and start to shoot others around them. Others might argue back with the story about Chris Kyle. Chris Kyle was a retired Navy SEAL sniper who was killed by a mentally ill veteran. Chris Kyle and the veteran had gone to go shoot guns to try to help the veteran. Kyle’s niceness fired back on him. The veteran shot and killed him. If the veteran had gone through a background check then maybe this shooting would have never happened. The background check would have showed that the veteran had a mental illness and that would stop the veteran from ever having a gun. Maybe in this situation having the background check would be good, but in other situations it can’t help. A person with an amazing background check could still act like a person with a horrible background check. They both could shoot people for no reason.

A person holding a gun can do anything. They can shoot animals. They can protect people. They can kill people. The truth behind the trigger is the person. The person can either be a sane one or an ill one. Background checks can’t stop a person from having a gun. There are illegal ways to obtain one. In the constitution, in the second amendment, people are allowed to bear arms. People are allowed to have guns. By having background checks, are we not going against the constitution? In CNN’s blog, Political Ticker, Kevin Bohn says that the NRA has “seen its membership rise to record levels as the gun control debate has raged since the Newtown school massacre in December.” Many people are against gun control laws. The school shooting brought out the issues of guns full force. If people could do background checks on the people who buy a gun, then maybe this tragedy could have been avoided. Then the shooting of Chris Kyle brought out the reason why people should do background checks. Every single shooting will leave people wishing that guns didn’t exist or that there be laws prohibiting certain people from ever having a gun in the first place, but the reality is that we can’t stop these shootings.

Gun Control: Something Needs to Happen

Throughout the time we have spent studying United States politics there has been one topic that I have constantly been following, that topic being gun control. After the Aurora, Colorado shooting in July, 2012 gun control has been at the epicenter of all things political. Gun control has always been such a sensitive subject to the United States due to the many times in its history where there have been mass shootings. But very recently it seems that the attention of both the media, the citizens, and the government has been on gun control and the many recent shootings. In the papers or on the internet we read about all sorts of gun laws trying to be passed in different states and cities, and when we don’t read about those its because another incident has occurred. Whether the Sikh Temple shooting, Newtown or any other of the 21 plus other shootings that have happened in 2012-2013 alone. And in the end for the politicians and the citizens it all comes back to what can we do. For the leaders of our country it seems to not be about who has the guns, but instead what guns and equipment they have. The single most important gun related debate at this time in my opinion is the possible reinstating of the Federal Assault Weapons Ban.

The controversial topic being considered by Congress is the possible reinstatement of the Federal Assault Weapons Ban or the AWD for short. This ban on semi-automatic rifles, pistols, and shotguns has already been in effect before from 1994 to 2004. It ended in September of 2004 and has not been renewed since. This ban was only on specifically named weapons (stated within the text of the law) or any of those three classes of weapons with two or more military styled cosmetic features. These features include folding stock, grip, bayonet, and both flash and sound suppressors. Added on to the bill this time is also the banning of gun magazines that hold in excess of 10 rounds. For the second time the writer of the origonal bill Dianne Feinstein is trying to get Congress to again pass this bill making weapons such as AR-15’s, which were used by multiple shooters in mass killing recently, and other military type assault weapons completely illegal.

However, gun advocacy groups such as the NRA as well as the many pro-gun members of both the House and Senate have spoken out against the ban and have gone so far as saying that its unconstitutional and goes against the second amendment. However, they do say that they will consider a magazine limiting law that cuts down on the amount of ammunition someone can carry. Senator of Connecticut Christopher Murphey has been about as involved as anyone could be since the recent shooting in his home state, he has said, “We do know that historically in these instances, amateurs have trouble switching magazines,” referring to the high-capacity ammunition feeding device used by Mr. Lanza, Newton shooter, and others to shoot put out more ammunition “I believe, and many of the parents there believe, that if Lanza had to switch cartridges nine times versus two times there would likely still be little boys and girls alive in Newtown today.”(article) Senator Murphey as well as many other gun advocates agree that magazine limitations is most likely the best way to cut down on unnecessary gun violence and deaths.

Hopefully before another large scale shooting occurs and more innocent people get hurt or killed the two separate sides of this argument can meet somewhere in the middle and better the gun policies and control in the United States. Whether that means banning all military assault style weapons or just limiting the amount of ammunition allowed in a single magazine for the guns, something needs to happen so this unnecessary violence can stop.

Guns in America: The Rise or Downfall of American Society?

Whether we like it or not, gun violence is everywhere. It is in the movies or TV shows we watch, the video games our children play, and worst of all, it is right outside our homes. Now don’t get me wrong, police and military must use violence to protect and serve our country, but it is still violence nonetheless. According to Science Daily, more than 30,000 people are killed yearly in America by guns, which is about 85 people per day.

Some people have gone to the radical side and say that guns need to be removed from American society as a whole. This is not a rational and plausible solution to solve gun violence for two reasons. The first, and most important, is that is a second amendment right. The Constitution clearly states that, “ the right to keep and bear Arms shall not be infringed” (Amendment II). It is also not reasonable because in order for the public to be protected, the proper authorities (i.e. police, military, etc.) must have access to guns for them to have sufficient power over criminals. The other side of this coin is that other people are demanding even looser gun restriction laws in America. While people do have the right to have guns in America, there must be certain rules and restrictions that come with trying to possess one of these killing machines. While there is still a lot of negotiating to be done regarding guns in America, the only way to come to a plausible solution is to compromise from both sides of the equation.

The argument that involves a person’s right to own a gun is not the problem that we are facing today. The second amendment protects a person’s right to bear arms, and if a gun is their choice, they have the right to own it. This is a common point that the NRA (National Rifle Association) and many Republicans use to protect their right to own guns. While not necessarily pointing towards eliminating guns completely, President Obama and Vice President Joe Biden have headed a special teams of experts working on solving this ever-growing problem of gun violence.

Republicans and Democrats will have to work together in order to get the ball rolling on gun control

The Democratic side has leaned towards more of a “cutting back” approach, rather than a “fully cut” method for a solution. Jeff Mason of Reuters explains some suggested ideas this team have included, “including the assault weapons ban, and a measure to ban high-capacity magazine clips” (Reuters). This idea would not only help reduce gun violence that is based off of these particular aspects, but could also start a movement to have even more restrictions on guns in order to prevent more horrific tragedies that are caused by guns today. Without a doubt, there is an uphill battle for new gun control laws to be passed in Congress, but that only way to make it happen would be for both Republicans and Democrats to come to a median, and do what is best for the safety of our country, and not what is best for each party in the upcoming elections. The Republicans in the House of Representatives and the Democrats in the Senate along with the President will have to sacrifice some of their own beliefs, and conform their policy around something that they may not feel comfortable with in order to create some sort of solution, or to at least engage in a stepping block to get there. Mason also refers to the democrats will try to compromise by the reason that , “Obama will need to get his proposals passed” (Reuters). The proposals that Obama has begun tinkering with, besides the reduced magazine clips and assault rifle ban, are the increased background checks. These new and improved background checks will be more strenuous in their processes and will give more support to the efforts in keeping some of the world’s deadliest machines out of the hands of those who are not fit for them.

The increase of gun usage in America stems from the core of what we believe in as Americans. Since we have the right to bear arms, many Americans have decided to exercise this to the fullest, and purchase way more guns than any human being would need. Others have decided to stay away from guns because they have seen what they can do. According to Slate, 1,793 people have died from guns since the shooting in Newtown. The aftermath, though, has been quite astonishing. While the politicians and gun experts are trying to solve this gun issue, more guns are flying off the shelf.

The weeks following the Newtown shooting have brought some of the biggest times of profit for gun stores and exhibitions. While most people believe and buy these guns for protection and recreational use, the other reason is because they know that in the near future, they may not be able to buy these guns. They know that at some point the United States government is going to restrict their rights, and they want to be prepared for it. These people are exercising their fundamental rights and beliefs in order to protect themselves from not only criminals on the street, but also the government that has sworn to protect them. The citizens of the United States must learn to live with guns because whether or not we like them, we will be seeing, hearing, and responding to them in the time to come.

Will America Adopt the New Gun Control Proposal?

Gun control conversation hit a all time high last year after the Aurora movie theatre shootings, but like most intriguing media news today, the talk seemed to die down within months. Recently however, the Sandy Hook shooting has sent the gun control to a higher level than we, as American citizens, could ever imagine.

The Obama administration essentially used this tragic event as a gateway event to take executive orders on gun control. As this article states, “President Obama will propose an assault weapons ban and better background checks for gun buyers on Wednesday as part of a package of proposals to curb gun violence once month after the Newtown massacre.” On January 16^th, 2013, Obama announced 23 executive orders on gun control. Among the more controversial orders were the ban on “military-style” guns, and large magazines. Though a stronger background check was by far least provocative proposal. His actions show clearly his Presidential Powers according to the constitution; Article 2 Section 1 Clause 1 states, “The executive Power shall be vested in President of the United States of America.”

Obviously, Obama’s actions have heated the gun control debate. Gun enthusiasts are livid. They are completely against this executive order, and they are nervous that this proposal will be passed. This is seen evident by the fact that assault rifles are selling out everywhere. On Cheaper Than Dirt, the countries largest online gun distributer, every single type of assault rifle in sold out. Gun lobbyists, such as the NRA (National Rifle Association) have decided to act out against the current administration. They argue that the second amendment specifically states that the citizens of the United States have the right to bear arms, and banning assault rifles is unconstitutional. As the NRA has recently released a new proposal against gun control, they state that Obama has as well recently proposed that every person that buy a gun must register that gun with the federal government, as well as any guns previously owned. The NRA and other gun lobbyist argue that this too is unconstitutional and a complete violation of the right to privacy and the right to protect one’s self (Amendment 4). The right to bear arms and the right to protect oneself were written in order to protect yourself against an over powerful government, and it says a lot that the Obama administration is trying to constrain this right.

On the other hand, pro gun control advocates argue that a band on assault rifles is necessary to protect this country. They argue that how could you neglect the recent shootings (Aurora and Newtown), and not do anything? These advocates defend their stance by claiming that it is our country’s leader’s jobs to protect American, and President Obama would not be carrying out his duties as President if he did not act on these incidents. Supporters debate that it is more important to protect the people of America than protect the gun industry. The 14^th Amendment describes each individual’s equal protection. Just as the pro-gun advocates say that the government is violating their right to bear arms, the pro-gun control advocates argue that the government is violating the constitutional right of American citizens by neglecting to protect them.

So who is right?

While both sides have strong supporting arguments, I personally believe that the gun lobbyists, such as the NRA, are fighting an unwinnable battle. Unfortunately for them, it is almost impossible to ignore the facts of these horrible accidents. While long-term plans may be underway to prevent such incidents such as mental health awareness, a ban on assault rifles is a short-term solution that seems inevitable. As New York has already passed new gun laws, it looks as if a nationwide ban on assault rifles will soon be proceeding.