Photo illustration by Rober Huskey
Gun laws: An unpopular controversy in the U.S.
During the summer, the nation witnessed one of the worst shootings in its history at a movie theater in Aurora, Colo. With 12 dead and 58 wounded, questions were raised about gun control laws and if they’re enough to keep such tragedies from happening.
Most Democrats are of course lobbying for tougher control on guns, while most Republicans are demanding laws be loosened up.
While our own state of California has fairly strict gun laws, it is not the strictest in the nation. Some states completely ban conceal and carry, but California still allows licenses to be issued in most cities — though they are usually only issued to people who need them, such as shop owners and security personnel.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, California’s violent crime per capita is roughly the same as Texas’, which is much less strict on gun control. The Bureau of Justice published statistics in 2004 that say that 72 percent of California’s crimes are committed with guns, while only 64 percent of Texas’ are.
If these statistics are to be believed, then it appears that the strictness of gun laws doesn’t seem to affect the violent crime rate, nor the method that it is carried out, very much.
This would probably be because criminals don’t usually abide by laws. If a person is dead-set on committing a crime, they will do it with or without a gun and by any means possible.
This just says to me that both parties need to stop lobbying their own gun laws and maybe work on something more important, like fixing the economy.
While many Democrats and anti-gun voters say that using a gun is a lot easier to kill someone and a lot less personal than using nearly anything else, the same goes for the victim of the attack as well. If a lunatic tried to attack an innocent person or someone around them who had a gun and training, the victim would most likely be able to properly defend themselves as opposed to being completely helpless.
Many Republicans and National Rifle Association members would ask, wouldn’t it be safer to just have concealed carry legal to all citizens so when something bad goes down everyone would be able to defend themselves?
Absolutely not.
There is a reason that a majority of states require lengthy background checks and training for anyone trying to acquire a concealed and carry permit. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, every year hundreds of accidents happen from citizens not knowing how to use firearms properly.
It seems odd that training isn’t required to purchase a firearm in most states. If we are going to have a new batch of Second Amendment exercisers, it would be nice to know that brand new gun owners know how to practice proper safety.
Due to the Second Amendment blocking firearm purchases because someone can’t pass a safety test would be illegal, although there are other ways to discourage people from buying a gun simply on a whim.
A smart way to do this would be to raise firearm prices dramatically and then offer a permit that would cut the price of guns just as dramatically, which can only be obtained by attending safety and handling classes. This would create an incentive for citizens to learn how to properly care for and handle their new firearm.
If it takes training to drive something as potentially dangerous as driving a car, education should be encouraged for any kind of new firearm owner. Maybe it is time to make stricter gun laws, just not the kind that will limit firearms from responsible people.
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