Every year around election time there is a surge of gun sales. I realized this is a fear of not knowing the true morals of the running candidates and if they will somehow pass a law restricting our 2nd amendment. The second amendment says that we, as Americans, have the right to bear arms. This right was acknowledged by Isoroku Yamamoto during WW2 when he said, “There would be a rifle behind every blade of grass.” In the culture today, many entertain the idea that guns need more regulations, extra background checks, and training classes before obtaining a pistol permit with the justification that it will lower the number of deaths by gun violence. Although in theory, this makes sense, it needs to be compared to similar regulations that haven't exactly been proven successful.
1. When you turn 15 a person can obtain a driving permit.
In countries like Switzerland and Spain, to drive a car, you must be 18 years old. So one could suggest we join other countries and make the age higher. Well, if we did, would it really help create an environment where we as drivers followed more laws?
2. “If we had mandatory classes on guns before allowing someone to have a permit, they will be less likely to disobey the laws”
This is not true at all. Take driving for an example, to get your license you have to go through a class and then test. Well, how many people text while driving? How many legal drivers stream social media while driving? Therefore, would gun classes really point toward lowering gun violence?
3. Gun permit age is 18 in Alabama, but in Chicago there are laws that make permits near impossible.
Since there are strict laws, shouldn’t that mean Chicago should have less gun violence? Wrong. Chicago is one of the most dangerous cities in the USA due being a prime target for assailants. If during WW2 we were like Chicago, Generals like Isoroku Yamamoto most likely would have invaded without a second thought. Thus, the USA would be a larger version of Chicago.
4. “If we add more background checks, the ineligible will not be able to obtain guns.”
I would like to compare this to college students. If you are under 21, theoretically, you are unable to get into bars, buy alcohol, or drink at all. They are unable to obtain alcohol in any way. This is not true! Any one should know that if someone wants alcohol, they will find a way to get it. If there is some way around the law, it will be found. Therefore, it will be the same with guns.
5. “Cars are not as dangerous as guns”
According to the Insurance Information Institute, an estimated 2.44 million were injured in vehicular crashes in 2015. That is almost as many as the 2,596,993 total deaths in the US. But there were under 40,000 deaths via gun. Gun fatalities only relate to 1.3% of the total US deaths.
6. Kennesaw, GA
In 1982, Kennesaw, GA passed an ordinance that every household must own a gun. A person may think this would spark a rise in crime rates. This is false. In 2007, Kennesaw, GA was murder-free for 25 years.
If it's not guns, the media will exaggerate some other issue. Even if all they are doing is spreading propaganda to aid running candidates' hidden agendas.
