Gun control has been a topic of conversation that I’ve always tried to avoid. Starting from general antipathy towards fire-guns, ending with a history and also current situation with shootings, it has always been peripheral to my circle of engaging topics. And yet, despite my sincere dislike towards the debate, I can’t help but react to the way this problem is starting to shape out. On August 27, 2016, it was reported by CNN that the cousin of former Miami Heats and current Chicago Bulls shooting guard Dwayne Wade was killed in a gunfire in Chicago, Illinois.
"Aldridge was killed Friday afternoon when she was caught in the crossfire of a shooting while pushing her infant child in a stroller near Dulles School of Excellence on the city's south side, police said. The child, about 3 weeks old, was not injured, family members said."Dwayne Wade later tweeted that FOUR children had lost their mother for no reason, followed by a #enoughisenough. And I think he’s right.
For some reason, some people in America still think that the best way to protect yourself from a bad guy with a gun, is to be a good guy with a gun. They seem to believe in this notion, that when there is no gun control and when everyone is allowed to brandish a firearm, the desired result of less gun violence will be achieved. And I do admit, that as flawed as it may sound, there might be some logic to it. But what many fail to understand, is that when one day, a certain random good guy with a gun encounters a problem which will have an impact on him or her, the instant reaction will be to attack this problem with all the strength and power, hence most likely forcing a gun into the gameplay. Because no restrictions means total freedom, and when total freedom is given to primitive creatures like humans, it can become a very dangerous thing. And so the good guy with a gun turns into a bad guy with a gun.
According to Christina Cauterucci of Slate, a few days ago, a protest against the newly signed law which allows people to freely carry guns on campus, in classrooms, and in dorms, took place in UT Austin. Labeled as #CocksNotGlocks protest, the students and the alumni of University of Texas’ flagship Austin campus boycotted the newly passed law, claiming that ‘’Dildos and guns are equally effective at protecting innocents from mass shooters, but silicone phalluses are “much safer for recreational play.” This movement, which was organized by Jessica Jin, a recent UT Alumna, is particularly interesting, because it is an infamous fact that Texas lawmakers have long been more afraid of dildos that they are of guns. According to Slate, the sale of sex toys was illegal in the state until 2008. And organizing a student and faculty movement of such sort in one of the biggest universities in the country, is quite a feat to accomplish and Jessica Jin can assuredly say that she got her message across the country and even further than that. The message is clear. Don't give out firearms with such ease and no control. Have more grip over who and how receives a license to own and carry a firearm. Not everyone is capable of simply defending one's self with a gun. Some might use it in a different way as well.
This is one of the examples where it is visible how many people are standing up against such gun laws. Mass shootings, street violence, home shootings. These are all devastating and egregious problems that require the utmost care and attention. But it is so delicate and emotional to many people who might have had history with gun violence that we may not solve any of it with either tolerance or strict laws. This is something that requires a full engagement from the government, from the Police, and from the lawmakers. The citizens of the United States have the right to know that when a woman goes out to take a stroll out in the streets of Chicago, her life will not be over, and the health and psychological situation of her kids will not be compromised. As much as this is a free country, this freedom also and most importantly underlines the freedom to live. And despite some exacerbated trials, the rights to carry a firearm should be controlled very strictly, all so because of the safety of citizens. Lives are not meant to be taken away. They are meant to be enjoyed and lived through their entirety and their beauty. #Enoughisenough
