Anytime that tragedy strikes America, the people are quick to flock to social media to share their condolences, voice their opinions, and express their concerns and ways that this tragedy could have been avoided. As I understand that everyone is entitled to their own opinion, I feel as if some might not be expressing their opinions with the purest intentions.
On November 5, 2017, a gunman opened fire on a small church in Sutherland Springs, Texas. This wasn't a target due to religious beliefs nor was it a target due to racism. This tragedy was caused due to personal differences within a family. While this was a horrendous act of violence, I don't believe that stricter gun control would have stopped this from happening.
After the tragedy, within an hour there was a tweet that read, "Innocent people go to church on Sunday to honor their God, and while doing so, get shot and killed. What country? America. Why? Republicans."
This tweet could not be more wrong in its context. Republicans had absolutely nothing to do with this tragedy that happened. When considering what this tweet is saying, it suggests that Republicans are to blame as they are against more gun control.
However, there are already numerous gun laws in place, and I find it hard to believe that more gun control would have stopped this gunman from obtaining his gun.
For instance, there have been numerous laws that were put in place to fight the war on drugs. However, all of these laws don't stop a drug dealer or user when they go to make or buy their drugs. If they want it bad enough, they will find a way to get it.
In the same sense, even if there were more gun laws that would make it harder for Americans to have guns, the people that really wanted them for reasons like this would still find ways to get them, no matter how hard lawmakers tried to keep them from it.
Also, making this statement is ignoring the fact that a lawful gun owner used his firearm to fire gunshots at the suspect causing him to stop shooting and flee the scene. A witness to the shooting even said, "If it wasn't for him, the guy wouldn't have stopped."
While some might argue that if there were stricter gun laws the suspect wouldn't have had the gun then this lawful citizen wouldn't have had to use his own gun to step in. This is flawed as someone who wants a gun bad enough
What stricter gun laws would do is stop that lawful citizen from having a way to protect himself and others from heinous people like the suspect. There are plenty of recreational uses for guns as well, such as hunting, skeet shooting, or cowboy mounted shooting. These uses don't harm anyone else. So why do we continue to penalize the lawful citizens of The United States?
As far as Republicans are concerned, we want to stop the gun right abusers just as much as Democrats. However, we realize that stricter gun laws wouldn't stop the heinous criminals from getting their hands on guns rather, it would keep the lawful citizens from having a way to protect themselves while also not allowing them to participate in their choice of lawful recreational activities. Not to mention that some of these activities, such as hunting, are peoples livelihood.
"If violent crime is to be curbed, it is only the intended victim who can do it. The felon does not fear the police, and he fears neither judge nor jury. Therefore what he must be taught is to fear his victim."
-- Lt. Col. Jeff Cooper