Push For Stricter Gun Laws!
Gun Control: Something that is Needed
The Bold Print: The Second Amendment
The Founding Fathers wrote, "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" (The Impact of the Second Amendment). This amendment has been one of the most debated in American history. Many argue that these words imply the right for citizens to personally own firearms. However, life was extremely different in 1791. The colonies weren't wealthy enough to supply their militias with guns, so the soldiers needed to bring their own weapons. Many of the Colonists at the time believed the right to bear arms went hand-in-hand with the right to form a militia.
Question: Do citizens who Carry Firearms in Public really that helpful?
Many Americans who oppose gun control would argue that firearm-carrying citizens would help stop gun-related violence, such as mass shootings. However, this "involved law enforcement or military personnel and/ or the shooter had stopped shooting before being subdued" (procon.org). This means either the shooter ran out of ammunition or targets, or that it was law enforcement that stopped the shooter, which means that armed civilians didn't help stop the shooting until it was 'too late'.
Recent School Shootings:
Columbine High School Shooting, 1999
April, 1999. Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris shoot and kill 13 students at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado. It is said that the two were bullied, and many of their targets included those who picked on them. Klebold and Harris got their firearms in what's called a STRAW Purchase, where someone else buys the guns, and then gives them to the shooters.
Virginia Tech Shooting, 2007
April, 2007. Seung-Hui Cho shoots and kills 32 students at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Virginia. Cho had a history of severe anxiety disorder throughout middle and high school. However, when he transferred to Virginia, the diagnosis went unnoticed. Since Cho was never institutionalized, He was able to legally purchase two pistols.
Sandy Hook Elementary School Shooting, 2012
In December of 2012, Adam Lanza stole his mom's pistol and killed her before stealing her AR-15 rifle, leaving the house and arriving at Sandy Hook Elementary School, where he shot and killed 26 students and faculty members before committing suicide. Family and friends of Lanza claim he had a troubled childhood, and was often bullied. His mother legally owned the guns, and Lanza had full, easy access to them.
Looking Back Further: Stricter Background Checks
"Currently, about 40% of gun sales are conducted without any background checks at all. That gives convicted felons, domestic abusers, and those with a dangerous history of mental illness a free pass to arm themselves" (Ladd Everitt). The logical solution to this problem is to require background checks at all gun purchases, and to strengthen the current system involving background checks, to pick up more warning signs in potentially dangerous customers.