The tragedy of the events at Parkland, Florida, in which 17 students and faculty were shot and killed, has reached every corner of the United States and inflamed gun control debates. On February 14, a day meant to celebrate love, 19 year old Nikolas Cruz attacked innocent and undefendable children in his former high school, desecrating the meaning of the holiday and breaking the hearts of the countless families and friends of the victims. One would think that the seemingly unending line of mass shootings in America – most recently those at Las Vegas, the Orlando nightclub, and Sutherland Springs church – would trigger a tightening in gun control regulations. But backlash from the NRA and similar pro-gun groups has been substantial.
Unfortunately, the gun control debate has become entangled in the web of partisan politics. Instead of focusing on the real lives at stake, many Democratic and Republican politicians take stances behind strict political boundaries, believing that their party must represent traditionally held policies. With this endless partisan bickering, ethics and common sense take the backstage to economic and political gain. Statistics are grossly misrepresented and manipulated to favor one political party or gain support from the public. However, gun control debate should not be confined to the political realm. The safety and lives of the American people should be the first priority, and the best way to maintain that safety is by enforcing stricter legislation on gun control.
Supporters of gun control tout the Second Amendment, believing that their right to own a firearm is set in stone by the Constitution. However, the original purpose of the Second Amendment was to allow citizens the right to protect themselves. As the years have gone on, technology has improved, leading to better safety measures such as alarms and cameras. Guns are no longer the only way to protect from dangerous threats, and with their increasingly dangerous capabilities, they are certainly not the safest option.
Others cite the massive death rates due to the flu and suicide, believing that the death rates from shootings are miniscule in comparison. However, these are all things that the country is already trying to address. We offer free flu shots and show PSAs about the how to stay healthy during the flu season. There are countless support systems and hotlines in place in our ongoing battle for suicide prevention. Meanwhile, our country continues to do nothing to quell the outrageous number of gun-related deaths. In addition, the amount of gun shootings in the US is not insignificant at all when seen with comparable countries. The US has an astounding gun violence rate over 25% higher than similar countries.
A large part of the high violence rate is due to the less than strict policies for obtaining a weapon. Guns do not always end up in the hands of those who they are sold to. Guns in the house prove safety hazards for small, curious children, who might think of them as toys. Those who have violent intentions or are mentally ill can steal guns from households instead of obtaining them themselves. Reducing the sheer number of guns in circulation will alleviate the possibility of guns going into the wrong hands. In fact, there is nearly one gun per American in the United States, and while the US is only 4.4% of the population, it holds 31% of global mass shooters and Americans own about 50% of all civilian-owned guns worldwide. It’s ironic that we need so many deadly weapons in order to feel safe.
These statistics strike fear in my heart, as they should to anyone who hears them. Mothers should not be leaving their children, wondering if that might be the last time they could see each other. Students do not deserve to go to school fearing for their lives. Enforcing stricter policies for obtaining guns and much harsher background checks are the best ways for any chance of reducing gun violence. We need to stop thinking about the abstract and start thinking about the real lives that are being impacted and torn away because people need a false sense of security. Perhaps we can learn from the hundreds of students marching to the capital and into the hearts of Americans to make their voices heard. Enough debate. It’s time to change.
Article by MoCo Student staff writer Rebecca Huang of Richard Montgomery High School